News Flash

UPDATE AT 2:30 P.M. SUNDAY: Here is the latest situation report:

• A local state of emergency remains in place.
• Utility crews are making progress. Additional crews from North Carolina have arrived to assist with power restoration. All substation feeder circuits are operational. We have about 1,500 customers remaining without power.
• The feeder circuit serving the neighborhoods off South Main Street was re-energized this morning. Residents who live in this area but still do not have power should call the utilities outage number: (434) 773-8300.
• Crews are working on Girard Street and other areas off North Main Street. They also will be working today in the Averett University area. In Pittsylvania County, crews are working on Whitmell School Road and Golf Club Road, and in the Cascade and Kentuck areas.
• Our plan continues to be to make the repairs that get the largest numbers of customers on first, and then work down the list from there. We will address as many individual outages today as possible, but some will not be addressed until Monday. We have all of our crews working the maximum hours allowed.
• River Street was reopened to traffic late Saturday night. All major thoroughfares in the city are now open.
• Audubon Drive is closed at Apollo Avenue and will remain closed through the weekend.
• For residents who pay the full refuse fee, Public Works is waiving restrictions for collection of tree limbs, brush and other storm debris. The restrictions waived include the volume and weight of debris and the size of the debris pile. Residents are asked to place the debris at the edge of their property line, but do not block sidewalks or allow the debris to extend into the roadway. Do not mix yard waste with other debris or garbage. Tree stumps and root balls are not collected.
• For residents who pay the full refuse fee, Public Works also is waiving restrictions for collection of flood-damaged furniture and household items. For small household items such as books, residents are asked to box or bag the items in order to allow for quicker collection.
• Residents who do not pay the full refuse fee will need to use their private hauler.
• Residents should be aware that loose leaf collection may not stay on schedule because crews will be assisting with storm cleanup and recovery.
• Public Works continued today removing trees that were blocking streets. We are scheduling contractors to repair larger damaged and washed areas.
• We also are addressing the cleanup of mud along streets.

UPDATE AT 6:30 P.M. SATURDAY

Mayor Alonzo Jones has issued the following statement: “Our community has been shaken by Tropical Storm Michael. Utility crews are working tirelessly to restore power to all households and businesses. I am asking all citizens to continue to remain calm and strong.”

Below, you will read updates on power outages and street closures. In addition, there is important information for city residents on collection of yard waste debris and furniture and other flood-damaged household items.

Here is the latest situation report:

• A local state of emergency remains in place.
• Utility crews are making progress, but finding more tree damage and broken poles as they move through neighborhoods. We will continue to work this evening and overnight. We anticipate 2,000 to 2,500 outages remaining as we go into Sunday. We will start addressing the individual outages in which one house does not have service when their neighbors currently do.
• The major sections in Danville without power remain West Main Street from the Old West End to Schoolfield and the neighborhoods off South Main Street. However, we expect to have service to these areas restored tonight. These areas have multiple issues with broken poles and fallen trees.
• We also have a number of issues in several North Main Street neighborhoods. We have a crew working in those areas.
• In Pittsylvania County, the major areas still without power are Westover, Mount Cross Road, and U.S. 58 East/Mountain Hill Road.
• Our crews are working 16-hour shifts. Crews from Salem and Harrisonburg as well as two Pike contractor crews are assisting.
• Goodyear Boulevard is now open to through traffic. Floodwaters have receded at Pumpkin Creek.
• Memorial Drive from Bishop Avenue to West Main Street is now open. Downed trees have been removed.
• River Street from Main Street to Old Halifax Road remains closed. It will be reopened when the floodwater recedes further.
• Audubon Drive is closed at Apollo Avenue and will remain closed through the weekend.
• The Dan River fell below major flood stage overnight and continues to fall. Major flood stage is 25.5 feet. At 5:45 p.m., the river level was 22.61 feet. It is projected to fall overnight below moderate flood stage, which is 20.5 feet.
• For residents who pay the full refuse fee, Public Works is waiving restrictions for collection of tree limbs, brush and other storm debris. The restrictions waived include the volume and weight of debris and the size of the debris pile. Residents are asked to place the debris at the edge of their property line, but do not block sidewalks or allow the debris to extend into the roadway. Do not mix yard waste with other debris or garbage. Tree stumps and root balls are not collected.
• For residents who pay the full refuse fee, Public Works also is waiving restrictions for collection of flood-damaged furniture and household items. For small household items such as books, residents are asked to box or bag the items in order to allow for quicker collection.
• Residents who do not pay the full refuse fee will need to use their private hauler.
• Residents should be aware that loose leaf collection may not stay on schedule because crews will be assisting with storm cleanup and recovery.
• Public Works continued today removing trees that were blocking streets.
• We are scheduling contractors to repair streets with larger damaged and washed out areas.
• We also are addressing the cleanup of mud along streets.

UPDATE AT 9:45 A.M. SATURDAY

Here is the latest situation report:

•           A local state of emergency remains in place.

•           We have 4,000 to 5,000 customers without power. The major sections in Danville without power are West Main Street from the Old West End to Schoolfield and the neighborhoods along South Main Street. These areas have multiple issues with broken poles and fallen trees.

•           In Pittsylvania County, the major areas without power are Westover/Mount Cross Road, Brosville/Cascade, and U.S. 58 East/Mountain Hill Road.

•           We expect to restore power to most of our customers today. Crews continue working 16-hour shifts.

•           Here is an update on major street closures since the previous report:

o          River Street from Main Street to Old Halifax Road remains closed, but likely will be reopened later today when the floodwater recedes below 22 feet. At 9:01 a.m., the river level was at 24.44 feet.

o          Goodyear Boulevard at Jenny Lane also will likely be reopened later today as floodwaters recede.

o          Memorial Drive from Bishop Avenue to West Main Street remains closed due to tree damage, but Public Works crews are working to reopen that section today.

o          Third Avenue West is open with a temporary fix.

o          Audubon Drive is closed at Apollo Avenue and will remain closed through the weekend.

•           The Dan River fell below major flood stage overnight. Major flood stage is 25.5 feet. The current river level is 24445 feet.

•           The Riverwalk Trail, Ballou Park and the Ballou Park Recreation Center, and Anglers Park remain closed.

UPDATE POSTED AT 5:15 P.M. FRIDAY

The second fatality victim from last night’s storm has been identified as 60-year-old Jennifer Bjarnesen Mitchell of Danville, according to Danville Police. Her body will be transported to Roanoke for autopsy.

Here is the latest situation report:

• A local state of emergency remains in place.
• We have about 10,000 customers without power. Service has been restored in the Piney Forest Road, Westover and U.S. 58 East/Kentuck Road areas. We have crews working in the Brosville, south Danville and Kentuck areas. We expect those areas to be restored later this evening. The Mount Hermon, Whitmell and Tunstall communities likely will be restored later tonight or into Saturday. Our crews will be working 16-hour shifts until all the damage is repaired. We will be assisted by crews from three cities as part of a mutual aid agreement. We also have two contract crews that are assisting. At the height of the storm, we had 20,000 customers without power.
• Craghead Street has been reopened to through traffic.
• Here is a list of major street closures:
  • River Street from Main Street to Old Halifax Road is closed and will remain closed until floodwater recedes.
  • Memorial Drive from Bishop Avenue to West Main Street is closed due to tree damage and will remain closed through the night.
  • Goodyear Boulevard is closed at Jenny Lane and will remain closed until floodwater recedes.
  • West Main Street northbound lanes remain closed at Edgewood Drive. Traffic is being rerouted onto Edgewood Drive.
  • Third Avenue West is closed. The roadway is washed out. Public Works has worked today and will continue working this evening to reopen the street.
  • Audubon Drive is closed at Apollo Avenue and will remain closed through the weekend.
• Here is a list of streets that are blocked by trees that have fallen over power lines. These streets cannot be reopened until utilities crews have addressed the issue with power lines. The streets are:
  • Dudley Street
  • Luna Lake Road
  • 300 block of Wilson Street
  • Intersection of Virginia Avenue and Avondale
  • Girard Street
  • Glendale Avenue
  • Candlewood Road
• Public Works crews will continue working this evening and on Saturday to clear roadways of trees.
• Police Chief Scott Booth urges residents and visitors to use caution when traveling on city streets. “Conditions have improved today, but sections of streets throughout the city remain fully blocked or partially blocked. Travel can be hazardous, especially after sunset. Travel only if you must, and if you do, slow down and be patient. Do not cross or move barricades.” Booth said traffic also could impede efforts to clean up streets and restore power service.
• The Dan River is projected to fall below major flood stage overnight. Major flood stage is 25.5 feet. The current river level is 27.3 feet. The river crested last night in Danville at 30.01 feet, which is more than a foot above the river crest of 28.65 feet during Hurricane Fran in 1996
• Parks and Recreation has closed the Riverwalk Trail, Ballou Park and the Ballou Park Recreation Center, and Anglers Park. Ballou Park and the recreation center are closed due to extensive tree damage.

UPDATE POSTED AT 10:30 A.M. FRIDAY:

Police and Fire and Rescue personnel responded to the scene of two storm-related incidents that resulted in fatalities overnight.

At approximately 5 p.m. Thursday, William Lynn Tanksley, 53, of Danville was swept away from his vehicle by swift moving water during flash flooding near the 100 block of Colonial Court. His body will be transported to Roanoke for autopsy.

A second fatality occurred on Goodyear Boulevard around 10:20 p.m. Thursday. The victim was stranded inside of a vehicle that was overrun by flash flood waters. Victim identification is pending family notification. 

 Here is the latest situation report:

• A local state of emergency remains in place.
•  We have about 12,000 customers without power. AEP restored service this morning to one of our power delivery points, so two of our three delivery points are in service. We are working to re-energize as many substations as we can. As we energize substations, we expect there will be areas without power because of broken poles and trees across lines. Our crews will be working 16-hour shifts until all the damage is repaired. We will be assisted today by crews from three cities. At the height of the storm, we had 20,000 customers without power.
• Here is a list of major street closures:
  • River Street from Main Street to Old Halifax Road is closed and will remain closed until floodwater recedes.
  • Craghead Street is closed at Colquohoun Street. Public Works is working to reopen the street.
  • Goodyear Boulevard is closed at Jenny Lane and will remain closed until floodwater recedes.
  • West Main Street northbound lanes are closed at Edgewood Drive. Traffic is being rerouted onto Edgewood Drive.
  • Third Avenue West is closed. The roadway is washed out. Public Works is working to reopen the street.
  • Audubon Drive is closed at Apollo Avenue and will remain closed through the weekend.
  • Elizabeth Street closed at Rutledy Creek.
• Here is a map link to the current street closures:
  • https://danvillegis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appid=b8cb31fd7feb4226977e927882689394
• The Dan River crested overnight in Danville at 30.01 feet, which is more than a foot above the river crest of 28.65 feet during Hurricane Fran in 1996. The river is projected to remain in major flood stage until Saturday morning. Major flood stage is 25.5 feet. The current river level is 27.6 feet.
• We have closed the emergency evacuation shelter at Bonner Middle School. We had 45 citizens who came to the shelter at the height of the storm. Nine stayed overnight. All have left, so we have closed the shelter.
• The Parks and Recreation Department is assessing damage at parks and along the Riverwalk Trail. Ballou Park has numerous fallen trees. The trail remains covered by floodwater.
• The Danville Public Library system is operating under normal hours today.
• The James F. Ingram Justice Center (courthouse) is closed today.
• Public Works crews are collecting household garbage today as scheduled. Households that were missed on Thursday due to the storm will have their refuse collected next Thursday.
• Yard waste collection will not take place today because crews are being diverted to traffic hazard areas.

UPDATE POSTED AT 10 P.M. THURSDAY

 Here is the latest situation report:

• A local state of emergency remains in place.
• We have about 20,000 customers without power because two of AEP's three power feeds to us are out of service. We cannot restore power until AEP repairs the feeds. We hope the feeds will be restored overnight. In the interim, our crews are scouting our lines for damage. We have crews from three cities arriving Friday morning to assist. We ask customers to be prepared to not have service restored for 24-36 hours due to the damage. We also ask residents and visitors to stay clear of downed power lines as they could be still energized.
• Travel on city streets remains hazardous due to damage and debris and downed power lines from flash flooding earlier today. In addition, traffic signals at many major intersections are not operational due to power outages. Motorists should treat these intersections as four-way stops.
• The Dan River level has risen to 29.9 feet, which is the highest level recorded since Hurricane Fran in 1996, when the river crested at 28.65 feet. The river is projected to crest at 31.8 feet overnight and remain at that level until Saturday morning.
• High water rescue units from the Virginia National Guard and State Police will arrive Friday morning to assist with evacuations from flooding.
• An emergency evacuation shelter is open at Bonner Middle School.
• All City administrative buildings, including the Municipal Building and the Charles Harris Financial Services Center, will open to the public on a two-hour delay Friday.

ORIGINAL POST AT NOON THURSDAY

City of Danville departments are mobilized for Tropical Storm Michael, which is passing today to the southeast and will bring heavy rain at times and, later today, gusty winds.

According to the National Weather Service, Michael presents a number of threats to the area, including flash flooding, river flooding, debris flows, gusty winds of 30 mph that could result in localized power outages, and isolated tornadoes.

A flash flood watch and a tornado watch are in effect for Danville.

As of noon today, Michael was located in south central North Carolina and moving northeast. Michael is expected to stay well to the southeast of Danville, according to the National Weather Service office in Blacksburg.

However, Danville will receive four to six inches of rain through today. Rainfall will be heavy at times and could lead the National Weather Service to issue a flash flood warning later today.

On Friday, the rain will end and winds will diminish, but the Dan River in Danville is expected to reach near major flood stage. The National Weather Service has issued a river flood warning that is effective from 1:05 a.m. Friday to 11:56 p.m. Saturday.

The latest projection shows the Dan River cresting in Danville at 24.7 feet around noon Friday. The river level is currently at 7.77 feet. It reaches moderate flood stage at 20.5 feet and major flood stage at 25.5 feet.

The Public Works Department has set up water pumps on River Street to keep the street open, and it has loaded barricades on trucks to deploy if street closures are necessary.

To assist in preparations by residents in flood prone areas, the Public Works Department is providing sand for public use. The sand will be available at the following locations:

• The recycling area at South Boston Road and Halifax Road.
• The empty lot at corner of Main Street and Memorial Drive.

Sand bags are not being provided.

Later today and into the night, the area will receive wind gusts of 30 mph, which in conjunction with the saturated ground could produce localized power outages. Danville Utilities crews are on standby and prepared to work 16-hour shifts if necessary.

The Parks and Recreation Department anticipates it will be necessary to close Anglers Park later today due to flooding. Warning signs of likely flooding are in place at other areas of the Riverwalk Trail. Sections will be closed as needed.

Residents and visitors are urged to monitor weather developments and pay attention to the river flood warning that has been issued and any warnings if issued for flash flooding and tornadoes.

They also should know the Danville Utilities 24-hour emergency number – (434) 773-8300 – so that it is readily available if needed to report a power outage.

Danville residents and visitors can sign up for weather alerts by email and text at www.danvilleva.gov and should monitor media reports or the following web pages and social media feeds from the National Weather Service, National Hurricane Center, Storm Prediction Center and Weather Prediction Center:

• Facebook: www.fb.com/NWSBlacksburg
• Twitter: @NWSBlacksburg
• National Hurricane Center: www.nhc.noaa.gov
• NWS Blacksburg web page: www.weather.gov/blacksburg or mobile.weather.gov
• Storm Prediction Center: www.spc.noaa.gov
• Weather Prediction Center: www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov