Power Cut In South Pottstown Area

UPDATE: 10:35 p.m. 9-8-11 - North Coventry Road closures include:

• Hanover Street at the Route 422 bypass to the Pottstown side of the bridge

• Riverside Drive at Keim Street

• Route 724 is flooding on the east side near the sewer plant

Chester County gave North Coventry officials six electronic message boards to help with road closings and detour notifications.

"We're trying to keep people away from the bad areas as much as possible," Wensel said.

Initial report:

Due to rising waters, several residences in North Coventry Township will lose power.

Impacted residents were notified via reverse 911 call.

"We're anticipating basement flooding," said Mike Wensel, assistant emergency management coordinator for North Coventry Township. The township is working with PECO and other officials to shut off power. "It has to be preemptive."

Power will be cut at PECO's discretion, he said.

"They're not shutting off all the power," he said. Properties impacted by flooding or located in sections of power supply will lose electrical service.

A shelter for displaced residents has been set up at Owen J. Roberts High School. The shelter is in an auxiliary gymnasium that can be separated from the rest of the school, which is expected to be in session on Friday. Security at the school has been "beefed up," Wensel said. 

However, school buses will not run in flooded areas. Several North Coventry roads are closed. If school is open, parents will likely be required to provide transportation for students in areas where busing is not available, he said. 

"Everybody is working together and things are going well," Wensel said and added that Hurricane Irene gave emergency officials a practice run.

The emergency operations center and township phone numbers -- 610-323-8210 and 610-323-1694 -- will be staffed 24 hours until the incident is over, Wensel said. Residents may call the numbers for more information.

Check back for updates.