Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


Clean up and restoration efforts are underway following Monday’s storms that wreaked havoc across Livingston County and brought damaging winds, heavy rains and flash flooding.

Severe thunderstorms with nearly 70 mph winds caused damage across the lower half of the lower peninsula.

Locally, thousands of residents and businesses are without power and there was significant damage from trees and limbs that came down. Some blocked roads and forced closures while many homes, vehicles and other property was damaged across the county.

In the most recent update issued, DTE Energy reports their storm response teams continue to secure the more than 3,000 power lines that came down during Monday’s storm.

DTE says more than 2,000 lineman, both from DTE and contractors brought in from across the country, are working around the clock on restoration. The utility estimates that 80% of customers impacted by the storm will be restored by the end of the day Thursday.

DTE reminds that any downed lines should be considered live and dangerous, and people should stray at least 20 feet away from the lines and anything they touch – including fences.

The storm caused more than 2,000 down wires throughout Consumers Energy’s service territory. That utility reports that crews have reconnected more than 60,000 customers as of this afternoon, and more than 350 crews are working in the field today with a goal of restoring more than half of the roughly 175,000 impacted customers. The company expects a largely dry and hazard-free weather forecast for the remainder of the week to aid restoration efforts.

Both utilities ask that the public keep a safe distance from working crews.