News Roundup

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Internet service providers and government security agencies have reported that countermeasures including significant upgrades were effective at addressing attacks launched last week. In parts of the central US including Ohio, Internet and phone service continued to be threatened by a system of severe storms.

As of Monday evening, communications, tied closely to power availability, are stabilizing in most areas, though some localized disruptions persist where power or infrastructure repairs are still pending. In Ohio, last night’s outages and damage to infrastructure (e.g., downed trees and power lines) impacted communication systems. A user in Dayton reported losing Verizon internet service during the storm, and similar disruptions likely occurred in central Ohio counties like Franklin and Licking, where power losses were widespread. Some cellular networks were affected where towers lost power and sustained physical damage.

Power outages persist across Ohio following the storms, though restoration efforts are underway:

• Central Ohio: AEP Ohio reported nearly 24,600 outages at their peak last night, with Franklin, Licking, and Delaware counties hit hardest. By this afternoon, the number of outages statewide has decreased significantly. As of 1:25 PM GMT (9:25 AM EDT), PowerOutage.us reported 7,090 customers without power out of 5,356,773 total tracked in Ohio, a sharp drop from the 26,017 outages noted late last night. AES Ohio, covering parts of western Ohio, reported 6,094 customers experienced sustained outages from the storm, with 3,771 restored and 2,323 still without power as of 7:45 AM EDT today.

• Restoration Efforts: Crews are actively working to restore power, with AEP Ohio and AES Ohio both indicating ongoing efforts. However, lingering rain into Monday morning may have slowed progress in some areas. The majority of outages are expected to be resolved as the day progresses, though isolated pockets may remain without power longer depending on damage severity.

No widespread reports of ongoing communication outages have surfaced today, suggesting that as power returns, internet, landline, and cellular services are largely coming back online. Some rural or heavily damaged areas are still experiencing intermittent issues while repairs are completed.

THIS IS AN EXERCISE