T-L Photo/JENNIFER COMPSTON-STROUGH Robert Coe, 10, of Belmont holds up his sled while enjoying a romp in the snow on Friday.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Tens of thousands of people were without power across Eastern and Southern Ohio on Friday — a result of a strong winter storm named Landon.

Information provided by American Electric Power states that 50,000 of its customers in the region had lost electricity due to weather conditions. In response, more than 1,000 AEP lineworkers were deployed, along with 700 tree crews.

Crews used drones to help assess the damage, and helicopters will assist in that effort once it is safe to fly. Due to ice accumulations, AEP said additional outages are likely in the coming days. Restoration efforts will give priority to essential services, such as hospitals, fire or police stations and water treatment plants.

Belmont County Emergency Management Agency Director David Ivan said as of Friday, 16,000 customers of South Central and American Electric Power in the county were without power.

“That’s a combination of residences and businesses,” Ivan said.

“(Thursday) afternoon into the evening, we had a lot of trees coming down because of the ice,” Ivan said. “Of course, with the trees coming down, it would bring the power lines down with them.

“We’ve got warming centers set up, but the folks have to contact them to make sure they have power and to be able to get opened up for them,” Ivan said.

In St. Clairsville, police Officer Greg Clark said the Cumberland Trail Fire District building at 142 S. Marietta St. would be open to anyone needing to keep warm, and Calvary Presbyterian Church at 100 S. Marietta St. also opened its doors as a warming center for people who had lost power. Hot meals are also available there.

“I think the power’s out all over the county,” Clark said. “In the east end of the city they don’t have no water.”

In Martins Ferry, the Rev. Bill Webster of Grace Presbyterian Church said people from as far away as Shadyside had sought shelter there due to power outages.

“I’ve got one family here (Friday afternoon) and a couple more on the way,” he said. “I’ve had four phone calls from different agencies and individuals … wanting to know if we’re open, because they’ve got families wanting to get down here. I don’t know when to expect it, but I think we’re going to have more people here. … Right now I’ve got a family from Shadyside. I’ve had one here for most of the day, another.”

Webster added that his own vehicle was frozen and he was unable to provide transportation.

“The one (Shadyside) family, they came by sheriff,” he said. “I’m grateful to them for being able to do that. We’ve got some food here. I don’t know what to expect in terms of people coming in, but we’re here.”

He said there is not always someone present at the church, but people can call the church or the Martins Ferry Police Department at 740-633-2121 if they need access to the building.

Harrison County EMA Director Eric Wilson reported about 3,000 power outages there with restoration times varying from Friday afternoon until Monday depending on the company, the area, the outage and the number of outages on the line.

“With that in mind, we’ve got the Scio Volunteer Fire Department open as a warming center and the Hopedale Fire Department,” he said.

The Scio firehall closed at 5 p.m. Friday. It is located at 318 W. Main St., and the Hopedale department is at 103 Firehouse Lane.

Belmont County law enforcement was working to help people stay warm.

“We’ve been going on welfare checks and calls, and if someone is in dire need of transportation to a warming center, if we have the manpower to assist, we will,” Chief Deputy James Zusack of the Belmont County Sheriff’s Office said Friday.

No shelter had been opened in Monroe County as of Friday afternoon.

“There are several power outages, but they’re working pretty diligent on that, getting the power back on,” Monroe County Sheriff Charles Black said. “A lot of these people are older people that live in the country. They’re prepared for this type of stuff. Some have generators or a secondary heat source.”

For those who are without power and are in need of heat, the Swiss Hills Career Center may be used as a shelter.

Belmont County’s shelters are: Bannock United Methodist Church at Ohio 331 Bannock, 740-968-3081 or 740-310-1692; Shekinah Church at 145 W. Main St., Barnesville, 740-624-0612; the Bellaire Salvation Army at 315 37th St., Bellaire, 740-676-6225; the Bethesda Community Room at 103 S. Main St., Bethesda, 740-582-1888; the Sunset Heights Fire Department, 69604 Sunset Heights, 740-827-6100; Smith Township Fire Department in Centerville, 740-310-0944; Colerain Fire Co. Social Hall at 72559 Colerain St., Ohio 250, 740-699-0425; Flushing Fire Department at 104 E. High St., Flushing, 740-310-1964; Lafferty Fire Department at 70191 Irwin St., Lafferty, 740-968-3016 or 740-310-0901; Grace Presbyterian Church at 7 N. Fourth St. in Martins Ferry, 740-359-1813; Maynard United Methodist Church at 71480 Hall St., Maynard, 740-968-3081 or 740-310-1692; the Church of the Nazarene at 100 Ohio 7 South in Powhatan Point, 740-472-4105; the Shadyside Community Center at 50 E. 39th St., Shadyside, door is open; the Somerton Fire Department at 55717 Washington St., Somerton, 740-391-9060; and the Yorkville United Methodist Church at 121 Third St., Yorkville, 740-859-3013.