(WPTA)- Indiana Michigan Power said only about 2,900 customers were still without power as of 9 p.m. Tuesday.
Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) is providing another update as a series of thunderstorms moved through the region Tuesday morning, causing 16,000 customers to lose power. I&M said power had been restored to more than 70% of affected customers, noting that fewer than 8,000 customers were without power as of 1 p.m.
Fallen trees damaged homes and property in DeKalb and Whitley counties, including one that collapsed a porch and a home in Auburn was severely damaged.
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As of Tuesday morning, the storm left thousands without power across the region and left nearly 5,000 Fort Wayne I&M customers in the dark.
The utility said crews have been able to restore power to more than 20,000 customers in Indiana and Michigan so far, but many customers in our area won't have power restored until at least Tuesday night.
“I&M expects that 90% or more of affected customers will be back online by 6 p.m. tomorrow. Most customers will have power restored by then, and most I&M customers are expected to have power restored by tonight.
They provided the latest outage count and estimated time to restore (ETR) as of 1 p.m. Tuesday:
| Place | Number of power outages | ETR |
|---|---|---|
| Northeastern Indiana | 1,295 people | July 17, 6 p.m. |
| fort wayne area | 300 | July 17, 6 p.m. |
| Avila region | Chapter 375 | July 17, 6 p.m. |
| Decatur area | 20 | July 17, 6 p.m. |
| northern central indiana | 4,200 | July 17, 6 p.m. |
| south bend area | 680 | July 17, 6 p.m. |
| Elkhart area | 3,520 | July 17, 6 p.m. |
| and central indiana | Chapter 430 | July 17, 6 p.m. |
| Muncie area | 315 | July 17, 6 p.m. |
| marion area | 105 | July 17, 6 p.m. |
| winchester area | 10 | July 17, 6 p.m. |
To view I&M's outage map for the latest updates, visit the website here.
I&M offers the following safety tips for people in storm-damaged areas:
- The power cord has fallen down. Stay away from any downed power lines and report them to I&M. Please report it to I&M at 1-800-311-4634 or 911.
- Be careful around debris and fences. Fallen limbs and other debris may hide downed wires, and fallen wires may contact fences out of sight. Look around carefully.
- Some traffic lights went out. If a traffic light doesn't work, think of it as a stop sign.
- Take your time on the road. Many roads are blocked or filled with debris, and utility crews, emergency personnel and tree removal crews may be working on the roads or roadsides. Slow down and look around carefully when driving.
- Trees may fall or drop branches at any time, so keep your head up.
- The heat index is very high. Safety is a top priority for I&M employees and our customers, and because of the hot weather, we are focusing even more on hydration.
- We urge members of the public not to approach our staff. For your safety and ours, please do not approach I&M employees and contractors who are restoring power.
- For more safety tips, visit IndianaMichiganPower.com/Weather.
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