UPDATE: State police confirm the blimp is now down near Muncy Exchange Road in Anthony Township, Montour County.
A blimp associated with NORAD's surveillance of the East Coast has become un-tethered from is mooring in Maryland and it's now flying over Pennsylvania, according to NORAD spokesman Lt. Joe Mavrocki.
Viewers in Columbia County sent video and photos that seem to indicate it is floating over that area.
PPL Electric's website indicates more than 24,000 homes and businesses without power in the area.
Bloomsburg University cancelled classes for the rest of the day because of power outages.
Mavrocki said two F-16s scrambled from the New Jersey National Guard are tracking the blimp.
It's unclear what the current danger is to the public or how the blimp will be brought back down.
NORAD released a statement regarding the incident. "Two F-16 Fighter jets from Atlantic City monitored the helium-filled aircraft, as it held at approximately 16,000 feet. NORAD officials are working with the FAA to ensure air traffic safety."
NORAD is also providing updates on the recovery process on Twitter.
JLENS stands for Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Netted Sensor System.
"A JLENS system consists of two aerostats: a fire control radar system and a wide-area surveillance radar system," NORAD explains. " Each radar system employs a separate 74-meter (243 feet long) tethered aerostat, a mobile mooring station, radar and communications payloads, a processing station, and associated ground support equipment."
For more information on the program, CLICK HERE
