Thousands of LADWP customers without power in LA

Thousands of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power customers experienced a prolonged power outage Saturday.

The utility estimated that around 24,700 services were knocked out, blaming damage caused by post-tropical cyclone Kay.

An LADWP spokesperson said the hardest hit areas were Harbor Gateway, Wilmington and Vermont Knolls, although other areas experienced similar outages.

Broken tree branches and flooded underground electrical vaults are some common rain-related causes of power outages, LADWP said.

Crews are said to be working around the clock to restore service, but the outage could last between 12 and 24 hours. The utility had already staffed several workers leading Kay to reach the LA area due to the possibility of power outages.

By 2:30 p.m., the utility said about 1[ads1]6,000 customers had power restored, but thousands were still without service.

Residents are encouraged to avoid any downed power lines and instead contact 911 for help.

To report an outage, call 1-800-342-5397. You can also see the status of a power outage near you by visiting ladwp.com/outages.