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In Lakeland, power outages, downed trees and angered parents are the main results of wind and rain generated by Tropical Storm Hermine. Outages reported by Lakeland Electric topped 400 at one point but were down to 46 by early afternoon. Tonight’s Lake Gibson High football game has been cancelled because of conditions at Winter Haven’s field, but all other games are expected to go on as scheduled.
A city of Lakeland Facebook post asking people to report storm damage was dominated by parents complaining about the decision to keep public schools open and buses running at a time when 40 mph winds had been reported.
Some damage reported included:
- A tree down by Webster Church on Crutchfield Road across from Kathleen High School.
- Trees down in the Combee area, Kathleen and Dixieland.
- A large limb down on Shady Lane near Dobbins Park.
- A downed tree blocked a driveway off Yates Road.
- A tree fell on two houses at St. Anthony Street and New Jersey Road, damaging a roof.
- A tree fell on a house on West 10th Avenue.
- Another tree fell on a house on Sikes Boulevard.
- A large tree down on Oxford Avenue near Cleveland Heights Golf Course.
Wow look at this tree that landed on a home on West 10th Avenue in #Lakeland. Homeowners thankful no one was hurt pic.twitter.com/JGjib2W7KZ
— Melissa Marino (@WFLAMelissaM) September 2, 2016
Just spotted another tree on a home on Sikes Blvd. in #Lakeland pic.twitter.com/qQq06yUQmL
— Melissa Marino (@WFLAMelissaM) September 2, 2016
This large tree fell on 2 #Lakeland homes causing some damage. Home on left has large hole in the roof. @FOX13News pic.twitter.com/5JLqaRxpyH
— Lucas Bogg (@LucasBoggPhotog) September 2, 2016
A tree landed on two homes in #Lakeland damaging both. Homeowner thankful it wasn’t worse. @WFLA pic.twitter.com/wBZ4SmRLrv
— Melissa Marino (@WFLAMelissaM) September 2, 2016
A large tabebeuia branch down and 1.88 inches of rain so far at my house near Dobbins Park. #lkld pic.twitter.com/zknNfAWDQS
— Lkld Now (@LkldNow) September 2, 2016
Sparks fly from power line Thursday night near Dobbins Park in Lakeland. Later repaired with no fire, no one hurt. pic.twitter.com/br0BnPnkbp
— Gary White (@garywhite13) September 2, 2016
Our linemen…doing what they do best! #Lkldnow @lakelandgov @LucasBoggPhotog pic.twitter.com/QUOK8HezIv
— Lakeland Electric (@mylkldelectric) September 2, 2016
At 8:35 a.m., 416 Lakeland Electric customers were without power. Hardest hit is the Lakeland Highlands, which accounted for 265 outages.
By 12:20, it was down to 48 total.
While Hermine hit far north of us, Lakeland was in the path of heavy rains generated by the storm.
Some parents expressed gratitude to safety officers and school administrators:
And there was humor: