Power Returns to Diomede After Week in the Dark

An intense winter storm caused a power outage in Diomede on November 21. Harsh weather in Nome prevented a technician from reaching the 118-person community, accessible only by helicopter, for seven days. It took several more days for phone service to return.

David Lee, an Emergency Management Specialist with the State Emergency Operations Center, said several people in the community shared backup power sources with their neighbors.

Lee also said the Diomede school was used as a community shelter for those who needed it.

The lights returned in the afternoon of Thanksgiving Day, just in time for the community to share Thanksgiving dinner.

Image at top: Diomede, a small community perched on an island in the Bering Sea, was without power for seven days.

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