City updates storm recovery efforts, issues numbers to call for help

CPS Energy anticipated restoring all power by end of day Tuesday

SAN ANTONIO – The story of Sunday’s storms is well told in the pictures of the destruction caused by five tornadoes that touched down in and around the city.

On Tuesday, that story continued with the numbers.

CPS Energy announced that 750 customers remained without power Tuesday morning.

At the peak of outages, a total of 84,000 customers were without electricity.

Complete tornado damage coverage

“We really are dedicated to getting everybody on by the end of the day today for those customers who can be restored," said Felicia Etheridge, chief customer engagement officer at CPS Energy.

City crews have collected enough remnants caused by the tornadoes to cover one football field with 2 feet of debris. 

All of the brush and debris is being recycled, City Manager Sheryl Sculley said.

Solid waste crews are still making runs through battered neighborhoods and asking people to separate brush and debris.

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“So if they can put brush in front of their homes in one area and debris from some of the construction materials -- whether it's fences or sheds or pieces from their homes -- keep them in separate piles,” Sculley asked of residents.

The city is opening the Bitters Brush Recycling Center for free during the recovery.

So far, city crews have collected more than 100 downed trees.

Sculley also reminded storm victims they can call 311 if they need help removing and brush or debris from their property.

EF-1 tornado tears through Northeast Side neighborhood

If you want to volunteer with recovery efforts, the city asks you also call 311 to register.

City leaders said they are thankful and proud of the response of city crews and of the efforts from neighbors to help one another.

"I ran into people who said 'I just saw on the news that help was needed here. I’m from the south side or the west side, and I’m here cutting tree branches,” Mayor Ivy Taylor said. “That really speaks to who we are as a community."

Storm damages transmission tower on Northeast Side

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About the Author

Myra Arthur is passionate about San Antonio and sharing its stories. She graduated high school in the Alamo City and always wanted to anchor and report in her hometown. Myra anchors KSAT News at 6:00 p.m. and hosts and reports for the streaming show, KSAT Explains. She joined KSAT in 2012 after anchoring and reporting in Waco and Corpus Christi.

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