While hurricanes and tropical storms are common causes of power outages, this outage in Virginia had a different culprit. According to PEOPLE, a slithering reptile is to blame for this massive power outage. While the exact type of snake has not been identified, it is surely on the list of most wanted reptiles, as it has left 11,000 people without power in Virginia.
11,000 Without Power Because Of Snake
Image via Creeping Things/Shutterstock
A Dominion Energy spokesperson spoke with 13 News Now and told them that a snake "made contact with a transformer, causing the mass power disruption." The news channel goes on to report that this mass outage led to "about 11,700 customers losing power."
The slithering critter came into contact with the transformer around 9:15 p.m. on Saturday, August 10. While this respite worked fast, Dominion Energy worked faster. 13 News Now confirms that Dominion Energy restored power to all of its customers by 10:30pm.
Snake Power Outages, More Common Than You Think
While many people may think this is a rare occurrence, this is not the first time that a snake is responsible for a power outage. In a separate article, PEOPLE discusses the multiple instances where these reptiles left people without power in Tennessee. While this situation is not overly common, it has been happening increasingly this past year.
PEOPLE mentioned an interview where an eletric worker said, "One of the managers I have talked to said he has been on the job for 20 years and probably had two [snakes] that he can remember, and we've had four in eight days."
The snakes that caused the outages in Tennessee were identified as gray rat snakes. While the snakes in Virginia have not been identified yet, certain species are native to the area. Some snakes that are native to the area include the Eastern Copperhead, Northern Cottonmouth, Eastern Gartersnake, and the Eastern Ratsnake.
