A warm-up shelter was open at the Palmer Senior Center, and the Red Cross is working to get the Wasilla Sports Complex open for overnight use by 10 p.m.
Wind gusts increased to 80 mph in the valley Wednesday afternoon as Matanuska Electric Association linemen continued to pick up the pieces from Tuesday night.
Residents said the wind had diminished significantly by Wednesday evening. A high wind warning was cancelled Wednesday night, according to the National Weather Service. Temperatures were expected to range from the single digits to 15 degrees.
Power was out or sporadic for about 700 MEA customers, the company said late Wednesday. Linemen continued to work around the clock in shifts to restore electricity and repair four downed poles after Tuesday night's gusts.
The downed poles were on Knik-Goose Bay Road and Lazy Mountain Road, said Cheryll Heinze, an MEA spokeswoman.
Crews were unable at last report to connect power to two of the poles, Heinze said.
"It takes a crew of four a few hours to replace one pole, so if people are wondering why it's taking a while," MEA's Wes Lindsey said.
Some residents of Sutton, Palmer, Trapper Creek and Chickaloon have also been without power, Lindsey said earlier.
All of MEA's crews have been in the field trying to restore power since 10 p.m. Tuesday, Lindsey said. The company will be updating information through its website as well as through Twitter and Facebook, he added.
The Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reported that the wind flipped a semi truck pulling two trailers near Wasilla Lake at Crusey Street and the Parks Highway. A sleeper camper also flew out of the bed of a pickup and landed in the road, according to The Frontiersman.
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