SAN ANTONIO – Pieces of roofs, damaged homes and downed tree limbs still littered the area Saturday morning after the storm as crews worked to make repairs and residents pitched in to clean up.
One neighbor, Ray, said the destruction was so severe it looked like an explosion.
“I thought somebody threw a bomb here!” he said.
Ray said the storm left his street barely recognizable, with trees down, debris scattered and power out for days.
“Me and my wife didn’t sleep at all, we just stayed outside,” he said.
Even after his power came back on, Ray used his own tools to help clear debris from the street.
“Somebody’s got to do it! I got a big heart.”
CPS Energy crews have been working around the clock to repair 500 downed wires.
Frank Almaraz, interim president and CEO of CPS Energy, said, “The rest of the effort is going to be, slower, but we continue to work.”
The utility said about 111,000 customers lost power at the height of the storm, and that number has dropped to under 2,000.
Almaraz said crews had replaced 50 poles “as of this morning,” noting that “each pole replacement is at minimum a three hour process,” and can take longer depending on working conditions.
Another challenge is that some repairs are needed in backyards. Deputy City Manager María Villagómez said the city has been working to clear debris and aid residents, but cannot reach every home.
“We have not gone to every single home. We have targeted those areas where we have seen most impacted. We don’t have the resources to go to every single home,” Villagómez said.
CPS Energy said it believes all power will be restored by Tuesday night, if the weather allows.