Wind storm cleanup has cost Clallam County and city public agencies an estimated $400,000 since a countywide outage turned out the lights for about eight hours Friday, county Emergency Management Coordinator Jamye Wisecup said Tuesday.
Eleven homeowners countywide also reported damages totalling about $130,000 in a process that will continue for at least the next few days in preparation for those homeowners potentially seeking aid, she said.
East Jefferson County was not hit anywhere to the degree that Clallam County was on Friday, but about 1,000 public utility district customers lost electrical power Monday night during an evening windstorm.
The most severely impacted area was Quilcene with 900 customers losing power at about 9 p.m., said Will O’Donnell of the Jefferson County Public Utility District.
Crews replaced a fuse at the Quilcene substation and removed a fallen tree from power lines at about 11:15 p.m., he said. Power was restored after midnight.
Several smaller outages occurred in Port Townsend and Beckett Point. In Discovery Bay, crews removed a tree on power lines at about 10 p.m. and power was restored by 11 p.m.
All outages were due to high wind and trees falling, O’Donnell said.
As of noon Tuesday, 11 customers lacked power; they were expected to be back on line before the evening.
A high wind watch has been set for the central Washington coast north through the Jefferson County coastline to Neah Bay for tonight through Thursday afternoon, with gusts of 25-40 mph and maximum wind speeds of 60 mph, National Weather Service Meteorologist Kirby Cook said Tuesday.
The first public infrastructure totals for such expenditures as debris cleanup, materials and workers’ overtime for schools, cities and other public agencies in Clallam County were to be submitted Tuesday to state emergency officials, Wisecup said.
The costs will continue to be tallied as county officials begin submitting estimates to the state Office of Emergency Management in anticipation of Gov. Jay Inslee asking for Federal Emergency Management Act disaster aid for the state. Counties are eligible for aid after damage to public infrastructure exceeds $270,000.
Actual damages are “much more” than the $270,000 threshold, Wisecup said.
Aid for individuals is approved on a separate track for forwarding to federal officials by Gov. Inslee, Wisecup said.
County residents including those in Port Angeles, Sequim and the West End are being asked to call 360-565-2691, 360-565-2688, 360-417-2483 and 360-417-2525 at least through Friday with damage assessments.
Most reports from homeowners were received west of Port Angeles and the county’s West End.
Clallam County Public Utility District was down to having to restore power to 102 homeowners as of 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in an area north of Lake Crescent and from Port Angeles west through Joyce.
Hospitals, schools tribal facilities and the PUD are eligible for the aid, which covers debris cleanup, protective measures, road systems, water control facilities, public buildings and equipment, and public utilities.
Olympic National Park spokeswoman Penny Wagner said Tuesday that the most severe storm damage was incurred around the visitor center and headquarters in Port Angeles.
A tree fell on the visitor center off Race Street, causing damage that was not serious enough to warrant closing the facility, and a tree also damaged a small outbuilding at the headquarters, she said.
Jefferson County officials opened Tuesday a portion of Upper Hoh Road closed because of storm damage, Wagner said.
Park trails were spared major damage but still require cleanup, especially the Peabody Creek Trail and Marymere Falls areas.
“There were no major wash-outs,” Wagner said.
Larry Donnelly, manager of the Quileute Oceanside Resort in La Push, said 2 feet of water that flooded the resort Friday as the Forks area was inundated with 4½ inches of rain over 24 hours was not pumped out until Saturday, causing a few cancellations.
“We probably lost some business, but other people come out because of the storm, so we probably will break even,” Donnelly said.
“It’s a Catch-22.
“I see people on the beach right now.
“It’s not real safe, but they love it, and here they come.”
________
Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 55650, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
Jefferson County reporter Jeannie McMacken contributed to this story.
