Why in blazes don’t power companies EVERYWHERE, when there’s a very real risk that weather will bring down power lines, CUT THE POWER TO THE AFFECTED AREAS?

I’ve often watched steetlights and traffic lights on TV swinging wildly during many hurricanes. OBVIOUSLY it’s only a matter of time before damage happens. What’s with the power companies - some sort of pissing contest to see whose lines stay up the longest?

Isn’t it a lot SAFER to have DEAD power lines fall on people than LIVE ones? Sure, having the power turned off is an inconvenience… maybe even more serious than that… BUT IF IT’S GOING TO GO OUT ANYWAY, WHAT THE HELL’S THE DIFFERENCE? At least if the power’s off a falling line isn’t likely to electrocute someone. Turning the power back on afterwards could be dangerous, of course, but how about having the crews check the lines and making repairs BEFORE doing so? Duh!

Shutting off the power during severe weather, especially where the infrastructure may not be up to the latest standards only makes sense… at least to me.

This may be yet another example of the kinds of things to come from gloabl warming. The cyclone that caused this is now out over very warm Arabian Sea waters, perhaps is will follow the course of super-typhoon Gonu which caused $6B in damages in Oman and Iran (and had the oil markets worried) just a couple of weeks back.

200 dead in Pakistan, 45 dead in India.

I guess ‘god’s’ taking sides again.