Last week, the largest snow event in the past five years landed in the region. Mercer Island schools were closed for two days, and some areas at the south end of the Island received up to eight inches of snow.

What started as a routine snow-clearing event became more complex as the heavy, wet snow toppled overloaded trees unpredictably, often snaring powerlines. About 100,000 Puget Sound Energy customers were without power, including 3,000 on Mercer Island.

City crews worked in shifts around-the-clock to keep up with road clearing and tree cutting, in partnership with PSE. The city dispatched all four plow trucks and up to a dozen other work trucks to various incidents.

To help residents clean up their yards, the city established two temporary locations to drop off excess yard debris and tree limbs: Homestead Park (8100 SE 40th St.) and South Mercer Playfield (8220 SE 78th St.). These locations will be active through at least this weekend, Feb. 18-19.

As of Monday, Islanders had filled about 10, 30 and 40-cubic yard metal containers with material, which will go to Cedar Grove’s regional facility to be chipped and composted.

The city also asked residents to be mindful of storm drains in their neighborhoods, and make sure the drains are clear of leaves.

Call the city’s Public Works hotline with tree blow-down or storm drain concerns at 206-275-7608.