Tree and power crews were busy yesterday morning as a heavy storm with rain and hail knocked down many trees and cut off power to 1,302 Polk County residents Monday night.

The area has received 3.36 inches of rain since Saturday, according to data collected by the Town of Tryon.

Most of the damage was done in the Tryon and Columbus areas. The Pacolet Valley area in Tryon was especially hard hit, with trees down along Harmon Field Road and U.S. 176. A tree fell on the roof of one Harmon Field Road home and a tree was down on Warrior Drive.

Other trees fell throughout the area, including one on Howard Gap Road. Pike crews were repairing power lines in many locations. Repairs were also being done yesterday morning to a traffic light at the U.S. 176 and Hwy. 108 intersection in downtown Tryon.

The storm began Monday evening and strengthened with high winds and heavy rain around 9 p.m. Most of the power outages occurred around 9:30 p.m. Monday. Power was restored for many residents by 1 a.m. Tuesday, but some areas still had no power as of yesterday morning.

The rain was much needed in Polk County as Polk is one of many Western North Carolina counties that have remained abnormally dry recently.