Day 4 Without Power: Thousands In Howard County Wait

More than 10,000 people are still waiting for power to return in Howard County after a storm ripped through the region and knocked out power across Maryland.

As of Monday night, 11,875 Howard County residents were still without power, reported BGE, with nearly 50,000 people in the county who now have their power restored.

BGE efforts have included more than 1,300 out-of-state workers who are responding to power outages across the state, the company has said.

State officials reported that in Maryland as a result of Friday night’s storm.

Tell us in comments: How are you helping your neighbors without power?

In Howard County, 14 schools will be closed Tuesday; all activities at those schools are also cancelled, .

Meanwhile, county businesses, libraries and cooling centers have seen hundreds come through their doors in search of refuge.

• Approximately 600 people visited the Sunday, which was open as a cooling shelter, said branch manager Phil Lord.
• At least 40 people have used the  at  in Ellicott City, staff said Monday.
• On Saturday and Sunday, welcomed 1,127 Howard County residents whose power was out and who had come to cool down for free, according to the association.

Stories of the storm and its manifestations spilled out Monday.

A total of (along with the employees who cared for them) at the on Old Columbia Pike; employees there said they were unable to notify owners due to power outages and sought refuge from the heat by going outside.

“In a word, it’s hot,” said Josh Arnold. “Hot, sticky and gross.”

The heat is expected to continue, with highs of 92 expected in the area Tuesday.

In the Mount Hebron neighborhood of Ellicott City, one resident said cleaning up debris from two storms was

Xiaojun Jie said he is considering moving.

“Every time there’s a weather event and people lose power,” he said, “we are those people. There’s no chance to escape.”

On Monday in King's Contrivance, one family watched a tree service remove a as a result of the storm.

Paul Caci, who works from his Columbia home, said, "I told my boss today, here’s the situation—we have a tree on the house."

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- With reporting from Brandie Jefferson, Andrew Metcalf, Elizabeth Janney and Brian Hooks