More than 1,000 residents in and around Carthage lost power Monday morning after a line of storms swept through Moore County, knocking tree debris onto power lines and prompting road closures.
The storms moved through the area shortly after 7 a.m., leaving the entire downtown Carthage area without electricity for approximately two hours. The outages extended north along Highway 15-501, nearly reaching the Lee County line.
Carthage Fire Department crews responded to several reports of downed trees blocking local roadways. Officials worked quickly to clear debris and reopen travel routes to ensure emergency access and restore traffic flow.
Duke Energy crews were able to restore power to most affected areas around 10:30 a.m.
As of late morning, some scattered outages remained. Utility officials said they expect full restoration by mid-afternoon.
Officials want to remind residents to avoid downed power lines and report any additional damage.
