Severe weather and strong winds moving through southwest Michigan and northern Indiana left thousands of customers without electricity, with the hardest-hit area around Three Rivers, Michigan.
According to Indiana Michigan Power, approximately 5,200 customers in the Three Rivers area were without power as of 7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 6, after storms swept through the region late in the afternoon.
Utility officials say crews are working through the night to assess damage and restore service where possible. A restoration team made up of 135 Indiana Michigan Power personnel, tree trimmers and business partners has been deployed to clear electrical hazards from streets and residential areas.
Additional workers are also being brought in to assist with the recovery effort.
Indiana Michigan Power says it is coordinating with local emergency management officials and first responders as crews work to repair the electrical system and restore service safely.
The company says it understands the inconvenience caused by outages and will continue working until service is restored to all customers who are able to receive electricity.
PRECAUTIONS:
Officials are also urging residents to take precautions during the outages. Anyone who sees a downed power line should stay away and report it to Indiana Michigan Power at 1-800-311-4634 or contact local police.
Drivers are reminded that some traffic signals may be without power. If a stoplight is not functioning, motorists should treat the intersection as a four-way stop.
Residents using generators are advised to connect appliances directly to the generator and never connect the generator to a home’s electrical system. Gas-powered generators should also never be used inside garages or enclosed spaces because of the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
