MUSKEGON, Mich. (AP) — Severe thunderstorms cut off power to thousands of homes and businesses in western Michigan on Tuesday, less than a week after storms across the state and in the Detroit suburbs left thousands of people in the dark.
About 98,000 Consumers Energy customers were still without power in the evening, with most of these outages occurring in Muskegon and Oceana counties on Lake Michigan, the energy supplier said.
Emergency crews will initially focus on “assessing the damage and restoring supplies to key customers,” Consumers Energy said.
Indiana Michigan Power, which serves areas in both states, said 3,500 customers were without power by late afternoon, compared to the 11,000 who were without power Tuesday morning.
The utility said Michigan’s Three Rivers region was hardest hit by the storms, which knocked down trees and branches.
About 500 utility workers were traveling from northern Indiana to southwest Michigan to restore power, but I&M said more storms could slow efforts.
“During high winds, lightning and heavy rain, it is not safe for our line workers to work in aerial work platforms or on the ground with electrical equipment,” the utility company said in a statement.
