MORGANTON, N.C. -- Heavy rain and strong winds at one point knocked out power to more than 900 people in Burke County. As of Tuesday afternoon, most if not all of the power has since been restored.
Resident Sheldon Davis said a lightning bolt struck a tree near his house on Highway 64 in Morganton, which caused him to lose power.
"[I was] laying there on the couch, happened to sleep on the couch and see a big boom of lightning and saw the tree catch fire and next thing I know it fell across the road," Davis said.
David says the top of the burning tree almost hit his house.
"I thought it was time to go," Davis said. "We got the family up, came out and investigated and saw the lines down here."
He thinks phone lines fell in addition to power lines, but he's not about to touch them and find out.
"Let you guys do that," Davis said while laughing.
Crews restored his power in about an hour.
"We were impressed with that," he said.
Clifford Clark was still waiting for his power to come back on about 10 hours after the storm and after a downed tree knocked his out his power as well.
"We can't cut the lights on. The refrigerator isn't working," Clark said. "Ain't got no power, can't watch television and things like that."
Power crews got Clark back in business shortly after NewsChannel 36 talked to him.
Officials said there was minor flooding in a few low-lying spots of Burke and Watauga Counties and no problems in Catawba County.
Avery County Schools let students out early today due to rain and flood concerns there.
