Strike Two!

Just as Kosciusko County was cleaning up from Sunday's storms, the area got hit by severe thunderstorms again Tuesday night.

More trees blew down, more power lines fell, and water rose throughout the county as a strong storm rolled through the area.

"Everything we did all Monday and Tuesday was destroyed last night," said Lacy Francis, assistant street department superintendent in Warsaw. "It's like starting all over again."

Many of the people affected by power outages Sunday night lost their power again Tuesday.

The long hours put in by power company, city and county employees Sunday and Monday were not rewarded by the sleepless hours of work Tuesday night.

Lynn Collyer, CEO of REMC, said although the major circuits are operational, there were still power outages scattered across the county at press time this morning.

Collyer said REMC is bringing in extra crews from Boone and Jasper counties to help the local crews, who worked all night to get power back to customers.

Many of the crew members worked 30 straight hours through Sunday and Monday, Collyer said, and then 28 hours Tuesday. "We need to get relief," he said.

Collyer said crews are working to restore power to individual homes and groups of homes on the smaller lines.

Trees that fell, knocking down power lines, are the most time-consuming to clean up, Collyer said. Each tree must be cut and cleared away before the utility pole and wires can be fixed.

The fallen trees are also causing trouble for Warsaw's street department. "It's like everything we did (Monday) was for naught," Francis said.

"Numerous trees were blown over or the tops taken out," Francis said.

The trees toppled into many streets, but Francis said all Warsaw streets would be opened this morning.

One tree blew into a house at 711 Oak St., destroying the home. The occupant, Rhonda Weeds, was able to escape the house safely. The Warsaw Fire Department investigated a broken gas line in the house, but turned off the gas and power to the home to prevent an explosion.

The deluge of rain added to the problems in Warsaw Tuesday night, leaving some motorists stranded when they drove through deep water. Police reported at least two vehicles stopped under the viaduct at Columbia Street when they attempted to drive through the water. One police officer reported the transmission in his squad car went out after he drove through high water that he couldn't see in the dark.

Francis said Warsaw received 2.6 inches of water in just a few hours. But the water level in alleys and yards is expected to go down today, Francis said.

The extremely high temperatures in Kosciusko County are also affecting work crews. Francis said his crews need a break from the heat since they must work most of their hours during the day.

Robert Ladson, county highway engineer, said his crews are "working very hard and need to be commended." Some of the men who patrol the roads were out again all night Tuesday trying to remove branches and trees.

Ladson is also concerned with the health and safety of his crews working in the heat without rest.

Ladson said the department received calls of high water, several from southern areas of the county. The department is checking the roads and sending drainage crews to look at ways to solve problems, Ladson said.

The normal summer road projects Ladson had planned are delayed by the storm clean-up.