Ice storm causes havoc in Rich Hill

by Jan Newcomb staff writer Rich Hill Mining Review (Feb.7, 2002)

Tuesday night rain began to fall over the area. By Wednesday the cold temperatures caused the to freeze on trees,power lines anything above ground.The only saving grace of the ice storm is that the roadway did not freeze.

Area residents awoke Thursday to a frozen winter wonderland.The weight of the ice snapped power lines and the poles that held them.Limbs were down and in some cases entire trees fell.

Rich Hill and Hume cancelled classes Thursday and Friday due to Electrical outages.

To apply with the Department of Natural Resources regulations a boil order was issued Thursday for the City of Rich Hill. Lack of electricity caused the water pressure to be low.Residents were asked to boil water for drinking and cooking.The order was lifted at noon on Saturday.

City crews worked a 36 hour shift in the rain repairing lines in Rich Hill on Thursday night. City Superintendent Phil Morrison said,"the only time we went home was to put on dry clothes." Morrison said, the crew's moral stayed healthy with the help of hot coffee, food and patience from city residents."I've got a good crew," Morrison added.

City Clerk,Rose Entrikin says as of Monday all city residents have power as far as the city knows. However, many lines remain down. Many poles still need repair. The crew repaired lines in the quickest, fashion possible. Some residents have been hooked up temporarily. The city has field papers with State Emergency Management. Entrikin expects to hear from them very soon regarding funding to assist the city in this disaster.

Entrikin also asks for residents to, "be patient, with the tree limbs." The city dump is full and the city cannot burn tree limbs without approval from the Department of Natural Resources. the paperwork has been filed to receive permission to burn. Residents are asked to pile limbs and wait patiently.