MICHIGAN (WKZO AM/FM) — Tens of thousands of Michiganders are without power after overnight storms on Tuesday, but once again, Kalamazoo and Battle Creek missed the worst of it.
Consumers Energy Spokesman Roger Morgenstern says their crews were just finishing up work on storm damage from earlier this week when they were told to head north.
The utility company’s outage map showed over 110,000 customers lost power from Van Buren County up to the Mackinac Bridge, with the hardest hit areas north of Big Rapids.
Storms swept through in waves throughout the area Tuesday night with a number of severe thunderstorm warnings issued across West Michigan.
Morgenstern says it’s going to take a while to repair all the damage but the hope to restore it by the end of the night on Friday if additional storms don’t cause more problems.
Residents that find a downed wire should stay at least 25 feet away from it and away from anything that it may be touching and call 9-1-1 or Consumers Energy at 800-477-5050.
Safety tips in the event of outages:
- Keep batteries and flashlights nearby — skip candles and avoid the fire hazard.
- Keep the fridge closed to preserve food as long as possible.
- Keep at least one light switched on, so you know when power is restored.
- Limit phone calls during storms to help keep lines clear for emergency traffic.
- Avoid driving during severe storms. If you must drive, don’t go over water-covered bridges, as it’s impossible to know how deep the water is, or whether the road below has been damaged by the water.
- Be alert to crews working along roads. Drivers should slow down or stop and wait for oncoming traffic to clear so they safely can go past workers on roadsides.
- Operating a generator may produce hazardous levels of carbon monoxide, an odorless, colorless and deadly gas. Never use a generator in an attached garage, basement or near any air intakes, and never fuel a generator when it is running.
More safety tips can be found here.
Consumers Energy’s outage map with updated restoration times can be found here.
