If you see a downed power line, stay at least 35 feet away, keep others back and call 911. Then report it to your utility. Treat every fallen line as live, even if it looks dead or is lying in a puddle.
Key takeaways
- Distance guidance, not a statistic: ESFI says to stay at least 35 feet from any fallen power line. Call 911 first, then your utility.
- Treat every downed line as live. Ready.gov says downed or underground lines can electrify the surrounding water.
- Do not drive over a downed line. A vehicle that touches it can become energized.
- Safety figure: FEMA says six inches of moving water can knock a person down, so do not enter floodwater to check equipment.
- Local report, San Diego only: KPBS reported 17 downed power lines and 5 transformer fires over the weekend of October 10 and 11. It does not describe other communities.
- Leave wet or damaged outdoor equipment unused until a qualified electrician has assessed it.
Last checked: October 13, 2026, 3:40 AM PDT. Alerts, closures and outage maps change quickly, so use the live links in this guide before you act.
Why fallen wires matter after this storm
Tropical Storm Rachel, later described as a post-tropical system, brought heavy rain, coastal flooding and high surf to parts of Southern California between about October 9 and 12, 2026, and its remnant moisture reached Las Vegas. San Diego County’s alert page listed Tropical Cyclone Rachel on October 9, and the City of Newport Beach declared a local emergency for it. Impacts were not the same everywhere. A KPBS report dated October 12 said San Diego crews responded to 17 downed power lines and five transformer fires over the weekend of October 10 and 11. That is a San Diego figure and does not describe every community.
What to do if there is a downed power line
- Stay at least 35 feet away. ESFI gives this distance for any fallen line.
- Keep clear of anything touching the line, such as fences, vehicles, trees and light poles. They may be energized.
- Warn people nearby to stay back.
- Call 911: call 911.
- Then report it to your utility. SDG&E’s outage safety page says to call 911 and then SDG&E at 1-800-411-7343. SCE lists 1-800-611-1911 for outages and public safety hazards.
- Do not move the line or free a tree or object from it, even with a stick or tool.
“DO NOT go near any downed power lines especially if there is standing water nearby”
Who to call for a downed power line
- Emergency: call 911 first.
- Southern California Edison: 1-800-611-1911.
- SDG&E: 1-800-411-7343.
- Las Vegas: call 911, then use NV Energy’s outages and emergencies page for its current reporting options.
- Riverside County: (951) 358-7100 for county emergency information. Check your bill to see who supplies your electricity.
Can you drive over a downed power line?
No. A line on the road can still be energized, and a vehicle touching it can become energized too. Turn around and use another route. If a line falls on a vehicle you are in, call 911 and follow the dispatcher’s instructions. Ready.gov also says to treat downed or underground lines as live, because they can electrify surrounding water.
Flooded streets and yards
Do not enter standing water to look for a line or check equipment. Water can hide wires, and FEMA warns that six inches of moving water can knock a person down. In Las Vegas on October 11 and 12, local reports described flooded streets near the Strip and lane blockages at Winnick Avenue and Koval Lane. Check Nevada 511 and Clark County emergency response before traveling, or San Diego County road closures if you are in San Diego.
Which outdoor electrical equipment should stay unused?
Leave these alone until a qualified electrician has assessed them. This is about not using equipment, not about repairing it.
- A service mast, meter, weatherhead or service line that is bent, pulled away or damaged.
- Outdoor outlets, lights, pool or spa equipment and EV chargers that were wet or hit by debris.
- Air conditioning units and disconnects that sat in water or were struck by a branch.
- Any panel or box that is open, cracked or showing water inside.
Do not reset breakers repeatedly or force a switch. If you see sparks, smell burning or hear buzzing from outdoor equipment, move away and call 911.
Numbers to have on hand
- Emergency: fallen lines, fire, shock injury, carbon monoxide symptoms: 911
- Southern California Edison: outages and public safety hazards: 1-800-611-1911
- SDG&E: downed power lines (after 911) and outages: 1-800-411-7343
- Riverside County Emergency Management: (951) 358-7100
- Zoom Electricians electrical assistance line (24/7 call center): (833) 529-3731
Official resources for updates
Visit these pages for live alerts, closures and outage maps.
- NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard (Los Angeles, Orange County, Long Beach)https://www.weather.gov/lox/Live watches, warnings and advisories for the Los Angeles area.
- NWS San Diego (San Diego, parts of Orange and Riverside counties)https://www.weather.gov/sgx/Live alerts and forecasts for San Diego and nearby inland areas.
- NWS Las Vegashttps://www.weather.gov/vef/Live alerts and forecasts for Las Vegas and Clark County.
- SDG&E: power outage safetyhttps://www.sdge.com/safety/power-outage-safetyDowned line reporting and outage steps.
- Southern California Edison: report an outage or safety issuehttps://www.sce.com/outages-safety/report-outage-safety-issueReporting outages and hazards. SCE lists 1-800-611-1911 for outages and public safety hazards.
- Southern California Edison: stay safehttps://www.sce.com/outages-safety/stay-safeSCE safety guidance. SCE says to call 911 for downed power lines.
- NV Energy: outages and emergencieshttps://www.nvenergy.com/outages-and-emergenciesNV Energy’s outage and emergency section.
- Clark County Public Works: emergency responsehttps://www.clarkcountynv.gov/government/departments/public_works_department/emergency_response.phpCounty flood and road closure information.
- Nevada 511 (NDOT road conditions)https://www.nvroads.com/Road closures and conditions across Nevada.
- San Diego County road closureshttps://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/dpw/roads/roadclose.htmlCounty road closures.
- ESFI: Consumer Electrical Safety During Disastershttps://www.esfi.org/consumer-electrical-safety-during-disasters/Pre-storm steps, generator rules, downed line distance.
- Ready.gov: Floodshttps://www.ready.gov/floodsFEMA flood safety, including floodwater and power line hazards.
- Alert RivCo (Riverside County Emergency Management)https://emd.rivco.gov/alert-rivcoSign up for county emergency alerts.
- ESFI: Flood Electrical Safetyhttps://www.esfi.org/flood-electrical-safety-high-water-high-stakes/Electrical safety before and after flooding.
News reports and other sources cited
- KPBS: San Diego storm clears out, high surf and coastal flood warnings linger (October 12, 2026)https://www.kpbs.org/news/living/2026/10/12/san-diego-storm-clears-out-high-surf-and-coastal-flood-warnings-lingerNews report used for San Diego conditions, the coastal flood advisory and weekend impacts.
- News3LV: flash flooding near the Las Vegas Strip (October 11 to 12, 2026)https://news3lv.com/news/local/flash-flooding-sends-water-rushing-through-streets-near-las-vegas-strip-rain-storms-hurricane-tropical-storm-rachel-linq-promenadeNews report used for Las Vegas street flooding and road blockages.
- AlertSanDiego: Tropical Cyclone Rachel noticehttps://www.alertsandiego.org/en-us/incident-page.1567.htmlCounty of San Diego incident page for the storm.
- City of Newport Beach: local emergency declared for Tropical Storm Rachel (October 9, 2026)https://www.newportbeachca.gov/Home/Components/News/News/44930/2720City announcement of the local emergency.
Need an electrician for storm damage?
Zoom Electricians’s call center is open 24/7 at (833) 529-3731. Our electricians are available specifically for storm-related electrical problems during this critical period. In the areas we serve, we aim to reach customers within minutes to a few hours, depending on your location and how many calls are ahead of yours. You can also use our contact page. This is our electrical assistance line. For fallen power lines, fire, shock injuries or carbon monoxide symptoms, call 911 first.
