Power outages could last until Saturday for some PSE customers

Thousands of people across Western Washington are still without power after Tuesday’s powerful windstorm toppled trees and sliced through power lines.

Puget Sound Energy says depending on how bad the damage is in your area, customers could be waiting for days before power returns.

The debris seems endless for some homeowners in Bellevue after this week’s storm left debris and destruction.  

"It was super windy," said Oyuki Ornelas.

Pine needles and limbs covered her driveway. A tarp-covered a vehicle after windows were broken in the storm. She also recalled the moment her neighborhood was plunged into the dark.

"I heard the branch fall and then the transformer pop," she added.

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Generators could be heard rumbling in the Bellevue neighborhood. It’s a noise that sounds better to neighbor Mike Muth than what he heard during this week’s storm.

 "Branches were snapping off and flying away," he said. "Trees were making noises I had never heard before."

Farther south in King County drivers had to take it slow as PSE crews made repairs on 51st Avenue South. It looked pretty bad as numerous trees down on Tilley Road in Thurston County, too. Puget Sound Energy says power lines were energized when a tree fell on SE Jones Road in Renton. The damage is so widespread, says PSE, because the winds came after soaking rains.

Power crews are working around the clock to restore service. Homeowners continue cleaning up while some attempt to minimize damage for future storms.

"Look for stuff hanging over structures," said homeowner Chris Van Horne. "You don’t want that stuff coming down it’s heavier than what it looks like in the tree.

Puget Sound Energy says around 350,000 customers had their service restored by Thursday morning but some might have to wait until Saturday evening to be reconnected.