After days of outages and flooding, most power has now been restored in the area surrounding Leavenworth. Authorities say recovery is underway and are urging residents to remain cautious through the weekend.
Around 3,400 customers were without power between Leavenworth, Tumwater Canyon and Dryden, with power estimated to be restored by 6 p.m. Friday, according to the Chelan County PUD outage portable.
“We’re focused on restoring electricity and fiber internet to the Leavenworth area today,” said Rachel Hansen, spokesperson for Chelan PUD. “We’ve got 12 crews, about 75 people that are replacing poles, removing trees and repairing fiber cable in the Leavenworth area … we’re going to restore power, sequentially, like neighborhood by neighborhood, as crews work their way outward from the Leavenworth substation.”
Hansen said crews will remain active throughout the day and into the weekend, warning residents to expect traffic delays and temporary lane closures as heavy equipment is brought in to replace damaged poles and clear debris, particularly near Chumstick Highway and surrounding neighborhood roads.
Highway 2 will be closed through the weekend in both directions from milepost 35 over Stevens Pass through Tumwater Canyon to Leavenworth on milepost 99, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation. Conditions will be assessed on Monday.
For real-time travel updates, check the WSDOT travel map.
While utility crews focus on final restorations, emergency officials say conditions across western Chelan County are improving, though risks remain.
Sgt. Jason Reinfeld with Chelan County Emergency Management said floodwaters in the western part of the county are beginning to recede, and no water rescues were needed Friday morning.
On Thursday, 32 people from 17 homes were rescued in the Leavenworth and Lake Wenatchee areas.
The focus of emergency services for the next couple of days, according to Reinfeld, is debris removal in the city of Leavenworth and the surrounding areas.
“I can see things being functional within the next couple of days for the most part,” Reinfeld said about the city of Leavenworth. “Debris removal and that type of thing, that could be quite a while; I don’t have an exact time on that or a good guess even at this point.”
City Hall and the Leavenworth Public Library remain closed, while other facilities, including the wastewater treatment plant and pump stations, are operating on generator power.
Matthew Selby, administrator for the city of Leavenworth, said the city is a safer place than it was on Thursday. They plan to have a crew from the Cascadia Conservation District to help clean up debris from the city’s right of way.
In a news release, the city of Leavenworth and the Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce said Christmastown events at the Front Street Park Gazebo and the lights in Front Street Park are expected to resume Dec. 20.
The American Red Cross is helping those who are displaced with a shelter at Christ Center Church on 5800 Kimber Road in Cashmere.
While the city is not discouraging visitors outright, Selby said Leavenworth is still recovering, with limited food options, some accommodations without power and no holiday lighting planned for this weekend.
He said the city is asking for patience as crews focus on cleanup and restoration.
Reinfeld is also urging travelers to reconsider plans to visit Leavenworth this weekend.
“Definitely this weekend, we really don’t want to see a large influx of people,” he said. “Most of the town, you know, at this moment is without power, and they’re still trying to restore all that, and if we get an influx of people, that just makes it more difficult to get things back together.”
He added that recovery remains more challenging in remote areas like Stehekin, where roadway access is blocked in several areas.
Reinfeld said heavy equipment was transported by barge on Friday to begin clearing debris, and while some residents are isolated without power, his department hasn’t received immediate medical emergency requests.
Looking ahead, the National Weather Service is forecasting additional rain early next week, potentially starting on Sunday, with a 40% chance of rain in Leavenworth.
Hansen advised PUD customers to stock up on nonperishable items and water, and keep batteries charged as conditions change.
“One of my main messages to customers is to continue to remain vigilant, continue to be prepared, because there’s another weather system coming in next week,” she said.
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