ACCOMACK COUNTY, Va. — Accomack County declared a local State of Emergency at 1 p.m. on Monday, following nearly 10 inches of snowfall.
The Eastern Shore was under a blizzard warning during the storm.
At the peak of the storm Sunday night, high winds and wet snow brought down trees and large limbs, causing power lines to come down or become damaged, according to A&N Electric Cooperative, the electricity provider for the region.
Kenny Walker said he could sense what was coming at his home in Onancock.
"At about ten o'clock, we started seeing flickers and we were like, 'All right. Let's get ready.' And then we lost power at about 10:30," Walker said.
Ensar Korkmaz said the outage hit his home around the same time.
"Lights started flashing. Electricity came back and after that a couple hours later completely cut off," Korkmaz said.
A&N Electric Cooperative has been working to restore power since the storm. Walker said he got his power back, which prompted a trip to Walmart.
"We lost power so we had to re-buy all our groceries which im sure a lot of people did," Walker said.
Korkmaz was still without power when News 3 spoke with him.
"It's cold that's why we're out here we went to that restaurant to over there to stay warm….yeah we have blankets but it's still cold you can't-there's no light no nothing, we had to light some candles," Korkmaz said.
The Cooperative says they expect it will take multiple days to fully restore power.
"I know everyone at the power cooperative is really busy with everything. We appreciate everything they did, but I'm sure it was a lot to sort through," Walker said.
"We're taking care of it, but it's still cold," Korkmaz said.
Accomack County says warming shelters at Arcadia High School and Nandua High School will be open from 4 p.m. Monday through until 11 a.m. Tuesday, to allow those without power to have access to heat and electricity.
Residents who need warmth, shelter, or power are encouraged to use the centers during those hours.
The Cooperative reports thousands are still without power on the Eastern Shore as of Monday afternoon.
For more information, residents may contact the Accomack County Office of Emergency Management at (757) 789-3103.
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