Thousands of Knoxvillians are reporting outages as a massive storm blows through the county the evening of Aug. 17.
The Knoxville Utilities Board reported that more than 6,900 customers serviced by KUB were without power as of 6 p.m., according to the outage map. The largest areas affected are in West Knoxville, though people in downtown, South Knoxville and in the rural areas of the county also are without power.
People in the surrounding Grainger, Sevier and Union counties have reported outages as well.
KUB's Outage Center states employees are working on addressing the outages. KUB serves more than 229,000 people in the area. More than 96% of customers still had power as of 6:05 p.m.
KUB customers can report outages on the website kub.org.
Thunderstorms
brought heavy rain through the region the afternoon of Aug. 17, prompting a flash flood warning for Anderson County, central Knox County, east central Morgan County and south central Scott County until 8:15 p.m. that night.
Flash flooding is expected in Knoxville, Oak Ridge, Clinton, Oliver Springs, Halls, Rocky Top, Norris, Powell, Karns and Bearden, according to the National Weather Service.
Flash flooding is also likely along Interstate 75 between mile markers 108 and 129, and I-40 between mile markers 379 and 400. Drivers should not venture onto flooded roadways.
More showers and thunderstorms, some of them potentially severe, are likely before 11 p.m. Aug. 17, according to the NWS website.
This story will be updated.
Keenan Thomas is the higher education reporter for Knox News. Email: keenan.thomas@knoxnews.com.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Storm knocks out power for thousands, prompts flash flood warning
