CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Gusty winds buffeted western North Carolina on Sunday on the heels of Tropical Storm Zeta, leaving more than 11,000 utility customers without power, officials said.
The National Weather Service posted a wind advisory for Asheville and other communities as gusts were expected to exceed 50 mph (80 km/h) across the mountains, The Charlotte Observer reported.
The N.C. Department of Public Safety said the majority of the outages were in McDowell and Polk counties.
The latest threat started Sunday night, when “high winds swept through areas still recovering from tropical storm Zeta and caused additional structural damage,” Duke Energy said on its website. “Crews will continue restoring power to those that have been without service for multiple days, while also addressing the latest damage.”
Tropical Storm Zeta on Thursday doused parts of North Carolina with rain and lashed the state with powerful winds, causing more than a half-million customers to lose power.
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