Many Altus residents were thankful to get back to some sort of normality Wednesday that came from having electricity restored to their homes. But for about 40 percent of Altus residents, that didn’t happen.

People have been without power for a week now after a powerful winter storm hit Altus, and all of Oklahoma, coating everything, including power lines, with heavy ice. Lines started snapping and power to homes, businesses and everything in Southwest Oklahoma flickered out.

Crews with all power providers, as well as City crews, have been working non-stop to try and restore power as quickly as possible, but the amount of snapped lines, poles and other problems still have them scrambling to restore power to everyone.

It was estimated on Wednesday that 60 percent of Altus residents have power restored, and actions were taken yesterday afternoon to get power to even more people. The City electrical department shut power off to everyone west of Main Street to Market Road, and north to Falcon Road to work on the grid and get power to more people.

Electrical Superintendent Dan Scott said last night that there were still 49 poles still down and thousands of lines broken.

It was also noted that only about 10 percent of residents east of Park Lane had power restored.

Accordinig to Matt Coppack, Altus Air Force Base housing has power today thanks to Altus Power, but other facilities on base are being charged by generators.

Scott said that because of the extent of work that will still need to be done, and it could be a week from this coming Sunday before everyone in Altus had their power restored.

Scott also said it is hard to access exactly how many homes have power and how many don’t, so it is important for residents with power to turn their porch lights on. This will assist workers that are going through neighborhoods, assessing the situation, know locations in need.

The Red Cross and City of Altus is still providing meals and a place to sleep and stay warm at the Community Center on Falcon Road. The Salvation Army is also providing food and a place to get warm and relax at 1200 N. Park Lane.

Debris removal will prove to be the most expensive part of the ice storm, with estimates of up to $5 million. Private disposal of broken tree limbs and other debris can later be taken to the landfill, but residents are being advised to hold off for now because people are getting stuck in the mud at the landfill.

A special meeting on debris will be held tonight at 6 p.m. before the regular City Council meeting.