The American Federal Police (FBI) is investigating after two power plants were damaged in a shelling in North Carolina, and tens of thousands of people were left without electricity, News.ro reports with reference to the BBC.

One of the headquarters of the FBIPhoto: Jonathan Weiss / Alamy / Profimedia Images

No motive or suspects have been released since the Saturday night attack, which police say was intentional.

About 35,000 Moore County residents are without power, and authorities say it could take several days to repair the damage.

All schools in the county were closed Monday and a state of emergency was declared.

The declaration of a state of emergency imposed a ban on traffic at night, from Sunday night to Monday morning.

“The person or persons who did this knew exactly what they were doing,” Sheriff Ronnie Fields charged at a news conference Sunday.

“We have no idea what (hit) Moore County,” he said.

The FBI is working with local authorities to find the perpetrator. Someone stopped and “shot a gun at the substation, just like at that one,” he accused.

“He didn’t do it by accident,” the sheriff said.

Authorities say it could take up to an hour to restore power after extensive damage.

Initially, 45,000 people were affected by the blackout.

“This is a fairly complex repair with some pretty bulky equipment, and we want residents to be prepared,” Duke Energy spokesman Jeff Brooks said at a news conference.

Fire department spokesman Mike Cameron said several traffic accidents occurred during the power outage, including a four-vehicle crash. “The accident happened because the traffic lights stopped,” he told the local Charlotte Observer.

A large hospital was forced to use generators.

Temperatures plunged to zero degrees Celsius on Monday and the county opened an emergency shelter at the sports complex overnight.

It was unclear how long schools would remain closed, and authorities said decisions on reopening would be made day by day.

Sheriff Fields was forced to respond to rumors on social media that the act of vandalism was intended to disrupt a drag queen show.

According to him, the investigation “could not establish any connection with any drag queen show.”

A drag queen show was scheduled for Saturday night around the time of the power outage.

“An attack like this targeting critical infrastructure is a serious, intentional crime, and I expect state and federal authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and bring those responsible to justice,” North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper said in a statement, quoted by News.ro. .