Thousands in NWA still without power after deadly storms, dozens of homes destroyed
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Debris surrounds a house in Rogers. Photo: Alex Golden/Axios
Storms over the weekend destroyed at least 45 homes in Benton County, county spokesperson Melody Kwok told Axios.
State of play: FEMA was still assessing damage in NWA and reviewing property damage reports on Thursday. As of early Thursday afternoon, another 90 homes were deemed to have major damage and 281 had minor damage, Kwok said.
- "We fully expect those numbers to go up," she said.
- The county had received more than 2,000 property damage reports from residents through its online tool, although some might not end up being validated.
By the numbers: Rogers city government buildings and public parks have an estimated $33.6 million in damage, the police department said in a Facebook post.
- Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders authorized 220 National Guard members to help with relief efforts, including 154 for Southwestern Electric Power Co., 36 for Benton County and 30 for Rogers, governor's office spokesperson Alexa Henning told Axios.
- About 14,000 customers in Benton County remained without power as of Thursday afternoon, down from more than 40,000 on Monday, according to PowerOutage.us.
Zoom in: Rogers High School, which has been serving as a hub for those who need meals, toiletries or showers, is letting people stay overnight in its gym. About 15 families stayed Wednesday night, Rogers Public Schools spokesperson Jason Ivester told Axios.
- "As people start to get their power back, the numbers begin to dwindle as they return to their homes," he said in a text message.
What we're hearing: Many Benton County hotels are booked through next week with work crews, affected residents and travelers coming for the annual Walmart Associates week.
- The Best Western Plus in Bentonville is next door to a Carroll Electric Cooperative office. Assistant manager Todd Ford said his hotel was booked by the company for crews from Texas almost immediately after the storm.
- Staybridge Suites in Rogers is allowing early checkouts for residents whose electricity is restored quicker than expected. The property — normally booked for the Walmart event — helps residents without homeowners insurance get lower rates on a case-by-case basis, manager Mac Chandler said.
- Meanwhile, the nearby Avid hotel is housing electrical teams and tree clean-up crews — one booked for 30 days — and turning early checkout rooms as quickly as possible for affected residents, manager Sandra Wooten told Axios.
What we're watching: Sanders on Wednesday asked President Biden for a major disaster declaration, which would allow residents, local government agencies and businesses to receive federal aid.
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