© Reuters.
By Rich McKay and Sharon Bernstein
(Reuters) – Residents in central North Carolina faced a second winter night without power on Sunday after vandals struck two power lines in what officials called a “targeted threat.”
The motive for Saturday night’s vandalism is unknown, Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields said. Because of the suspension, schools will be closed Monday and possibly longer. Sunday church services and popular golf courses were disrupted.
About 64% of Moore County electric customers were without power Sunday night in a rural area about 90 miles (145 km) east of Charlotte, according to tracking site poweroutage.us.
Power went out around 7pm Saturday to 40,000 homes and businesses in Moore County. It was a “targeted attack. It wasn’t random,” Fields said. Aid workers found broken gates and evidence of gunshot damage to equipment.
That could continue Thursday, said Jeff Brooks, a spokesman Duke Energy Profile Corp (NYSE: ), due to the amount of damage.
Services were held at Pinehurst United Methodist Church. At the iconic Pinehurst Resort, managers scrambled Sunday to make sure golfers can still play.
A curfew was in place Sunday night and more than 250 shelters were open, officials said.
Fields denied Internet rumors that the incident was connected to a drag show.
