Equipment failure — not weather — leaves Columbia residents in the dark

COLUMBIA — Tornado sirens echoed through Columbia on Saturday morning as severe weather made its way through the area. Heavy downpours and strong winds caused trouble for residents, but they were not the only reason for frustration.

Thousands of Columbia residents woke up with no power because of an equipment failure at the Columbia Water and Light Grindstone substation. Jim Andrews of Columbia Water and Light said it took about two hours to restore electricity to 3,000 customers. The equipment failure was unrelated to the weather.

Sunday's forecast calls for sunny skies with a high of 47 degrees. The National Weather Service predicts strong winds with gusts up to 20 mph. The rest of the week should feature highs in the upper 40s and lows in the 30s, according to the weather service.