Power Could Be Off For Days After Severe Storms
DETROIT (WWJ) - About 110,000 homes and businesses lost power during Thursday's storms, and officials say it could be several days before everyone is back in service.
DTE Energy says crews made progress through the night, but approximately 68,000 homes and businesses are still without power as of 8 a.m. Friday.
PHOTO GALLERY: Late June Storm Damage
A spokesperson said DTE has requested assistance from other utilities throughout the region to help with restoration efforts, but it will take several days before power is restored to every customer affected by the storm.
Most of the outages are in Oakland County, with Pontiac among the worst hit areas. In nearby Waterford, police were asking residents to stay inside because of the damage.
DTE is constantly updating a power outage map to show residents where to expect the worst. Click here to check the map.
Shondell Patterson, a Huntington Woods resident, said being without power for a few days in nothing new to her area. She said the power goes out about four to six times a year after a storm.
"The biggest problem for us, and really this happens to us a lot, is the freezer, just the food that we lose, it's very expensive," she said.
The storms also caused flooding in several areas, from Ann Arbor to Detroit to Flint. Washtenaw County's Emergency Management Director Marc Breckenridge said three inches of rain fell in a 30 minute period. Winds up to 65-miles-per-hour were also reported.
Rising waters snarled traffic for part of the evening, while downed trees and power lines prompted officers to close some roadways.
MORE: Streets Flooded, Thousands Without Power In Southeast Michigan
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