A massive winter storm is hitting the eastern United States. The storm brought dangerous ice and freezing rain and left more than a million customers without power across multiple states, including Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana.
The immediate effects include downed power lines and outages for many homes and businesses. Ice makes trees and branches very heavy, and falling branches can damage above-ground electrical equipment. It is not yet clear how long full restoration will take in all affected areas.
Officials warned outages could last for days and local repair teams are stretched. Utilities are working to restore service, but some communities may be without power for some time.
Difficult words
- freezing rain — Rain that freezes on contact and makes ice
- outage — Time when electricity is not availableoutages
- power line — Wire system that carries electricity above groundpower lines
- restore — Return service or power to normal condition
- utility — Company that provides water, electricity, or gasUtilities
- affect — Be changed or harmed by an event or actionaffected
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Discussion questions
- Have you ever been without power after a storm? What happened?
- What problems can ice cause to trees and houses in your area?
- How would you stay warm and safe if your community had no power for several days?
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