Note: this is a developing story.

Electricity went out in the Sequim area on Friday afternoon for a few hours causing businesses to close early, and local events to cancel or reschedule.

Power went out at approximately 4:45 p.m. Oct. 18 with Clallam PUD reporting at 5 p.m. that its cause was unknown at the time. The agency’s outage map showed about 14,000 customers without power then.

Nicole Hartman, the PUD’s communications manager, wrote about 35 minutes later that PUD crews were patrolling for the outage’s cause in a Bonneville Power Administration line somewhere in Happy Valley.

At 6:44 p.m., she reported that the West End — Clallam Bay, Neah Bay, Seiku and Forks — was also without power as there was a tree in a power line in Forks.

Via email, she wrote that at the peak of the outage, about 18,000 customers were out across the counties.

Electricity was restored for many Sequim residences at 7:26 p.m.with some smaller outages remaining.

Hartman reported at 8:45 p.m. that the power was largely restored to Sequim while a BPA line to Sappho was still affecting West End customers.

Multiple crews were responding to all areas, she wrote.

As of 1 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 19, 5,520 customers were without power, mostly in the West End and in Joyce, affecting residences in both Clallam and Jefferson counties.

Find the PUD’s outage map at smarthub.clallampud.net/maps/OutageWebMap/.

Most stores closed throughout the Sequim area with grocers, such as Safeway taking measures to preserve refridgerated and frozen food by covering up coolers. Staff at some businesses stood outside to alert customers of the outage.

Olympic Theatre Arts canceled its production of “Night of the Living Dead” on Friday night, and Sequim High School rescheduled its football game to 1 p.m. Saturday.

Clallam County Fire District 3 reported that its career and volunteer staff were busy taking numerous calls on Friday night.

”This is a good reminder to keep your flashlights charged up and have spare batteries, ensure you have fuel in your generators, water in your containers and food in the pantry,” staff wrote.

“It also helps to have battery backup charger for your cell phones so you can get updates! These storms always pack a punch and being the first big one of the season, well it is a jarring wake up call.”

Staff encouraged residents to stay home unless necessary as most businesses were closed.

They also thanked 9-1-1 dispatchers for watching out for them.

To report an outage, call 360-452-9771 or 800-542-7859. For tips on preparation, visit clallampud.net/outages-be-prepared/.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Staff at Sequim Walmart told customers about the outage on Oct. 18 that caused them and many businesses to close.

Image courtesy Clallam PUD/ Upwards of 18,000 customers lost power on Oct. 18 with the Sequim area mostly restored a few hours after the outage, according to Clallam PUD staff