Storm damage repair
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Storm-hit communities from Missouri to Hawaii are repairing roads, bridges and power lines.
The fixes span a $19.8M UK sea wall to 137 transformers in San Antonio.
Background
The retrieved material covers several separate storms whose damage is now being repaired. In the Kansas City metro, Sunday-night storms snapped more than 20 power poles in Raymore and sent a tree into a Raytown home, with crews called in over the Labor Day holiday. In San Antonio, CPS Energy replaced 137 transformers and more than 60 poles after a storm brought 2,481 lightning strikes and 65 mph winds. In Hawaii, Hurricane Lowell washed out about 200 feet of shoulder on North Kihei Road, and in the UK, winter storms washed away part of the A379 coastal road at Torcross.
How it unfolded
- Jan 2026Multiple winter storms damage sea defences at Torcross in Devon, UK.
- Feb 2026Part of the A379 coastal road between Torcross and Slapton is washed away; the road remains closed.
- May 2026The Environment Agency approves £19.8 million for the Torcross sea-defence scheme.
- Aug 2026Devon County Council submits a bid for an additional £19.6m to restore and strengthen the A379 at Slapton.
- Sep 4, 2026CPS Energy tallies San Antonio storm damage: 137 transformers and more than 60 poles replaced.
- Sep 8, 2026Crews work through Labor Day to repair storm damage across the Kansas City metro; first stage of Torcross repair works begins.
- Sep 10, 2026Hawaii DOT begins repairs on North Kihei Road after Hurricane Lowell washed out a roughly 200-foot section of shoulder.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- The Environment Agency said it recognises how important access at the southern end of Torcross beach is to the community and is continuing to work on a solution.
- Public
- Raymore resident Leisha Hampton said the storm's severity surprised her: "I think what really is surprising me the most is how unexpected it was."
- Public
- Tree-crew worker Santos Mendoza said his team answered an emergency call on a holiday and the homeowner was "very grateful" they came.
Still unverified
The East Roundbunch Swing Bridge item gives no date and attributes its electrical damage to Tropical Storm Edouard; the Kotzebue item says FEMA announced more than $4 million for several Alaska communities while its headline cites $160K for Tent City, and the exact split is not stated.