Storms Leave At Least 743 People Without Power In Mentor

MENTOR, OH —More than 740 people are currently without power in Mentor, FirstEnergy said. Powerful storms rolled through the area on Monday afternoon.

Power should be restored to the majority of impacted residents by 7:30 p.m., the energy company said on its outages website.

Powerful thunderstorms swept through the area in the mid-afternoon. Booming thunder portended sheets of rain, as humid temperatures produced off-and-then-on storms. Skies curiously remained blue during Monday's showers.

To find more information on local outages, visit the FirstEnergy outages map.

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio has several tips for customers impacted by a power outage. "Unplug all major appliances and electronics, such as computers and televisions, to protect them from a possible power surge when the power comes back on. By leaving one light on, you will be able to tell when your service is restored," the group said.

Residents should also use flashlights, if the outages continue until after the sun sets. "Be aware that during an outage, gas appliances with electronic ignitions will not work because electricity is needed to ignite the natural gas. Appliances requiring fans or other electric devices to run (such as central air conditioning units and gas clothes dryers) will not operate," PUCO said.

For more tips on how to handle a power outage, click here.

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Graphic from Patch