PINAL COUNTY, Ariz. — Editor's Note: The above video is from an earlier broadcast.
Pinal County has issued a state of emergency following a powerful monsoon that knocked out power to thousands in the area.
The county held an emergency meeting Tuesday afternoon to address the power outages and damage left behind.
Arizona Public Service said Monday it's taking longer than normal to restore power due to the severe damage caused by Sunday's storms.
Utility crews are busy removing damaged equipment, digging new holes, setting fresh poles, and restringing wire.
"While it takes time, please know our crews are working day and night to get customers back on," APS wrote in a statement. "We appreciate our customers’ patience and encourage them to monitor our Outage Map and seek out cooling and heat relief resources if necessary."
Officials say declaring a state of emergency is a procedure that allows the County and the City to access additional resources and support from the State of Arizona. The City of Eloy had declared a state of emergency yesterday.
The ongoing power outage comes in the middle of summer, with soaring heat reported across Arizona.
Several cooling centers have been set up and ice is being distributed while supplies last.
Resources continue to be available for impacted residents; the latest information is available here.
According to APS, power should be fully restored by early Wednesday morning.
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