By AP/KWMU
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kwmu/local-kwmu-521599.mp3
St. Louis, MO – Members of the Missouri National Guard arrived in St. Louis Thursday night to help with clean-up after powerful storms Wednesday night.
They're also there to help the hundreds of thousands of people who still are without power in the summer heat.
Missouri Governor Matt Blunt sent the troops after storms Wednesday caused the largest power outage ever for the utility Ameren UE. Blunt says troops won't be policing the streets, but rather helping police go door to door to find people who are without power.
Ameren says it could be five days before everyone has their lights back on. This morning (Fri.) that 320,000 customers were still without power but that more than 270,000 had been restored. About 2,700 crews were out trying to fix lines.
Slightly lower temperatures are expected today (Fri) but cooling centers will stay open for the foreseeable future for those without power. And Missouri's two U.S. Senators have asked the President to declare the St. Louis region a disaster area as a way to get federal money to help pay for clean up.
Also, the Missouri-American Water Company lifted its boil order this morning (Fri.); it had been in place for everyone north of I-70.
And, more than 300 pets were dropped off at the Humane Society's office by owners without power. The agency is still letting people bring in pets if it's too hot at home.
For a list of cooling centers, click here.
KWMUs Tom Weber prepared this report.