Detroit Evening Report, August 30, 2022: Metro Detroit deals with aftermath of Monday’s severe storms

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Image of lighting during a storm.

More than 250,000 DTE Energy customers remain without power after strong storms passed through Detroit Monday evening, knocking down trees and power lines.

Parts of Detroit saw wind gusts of up to 70 mph. DTE Energy vice president Joe Musallem says crews are working around the region to restore service.

“I think you’re going to see quite a few people come back in the next couple of days. And then you may have some folks that are out until three, four days,” Musallem told WDET.

The utility says it should have power back on for 80 percent of the customers who lost service by late Thursday.

Power outages cause traffic delays

Detroiters encountered traffic problems during their morning commutes as a result of last night’s storms.  Traffic lights weren’t working at several intersections throughout the city. Motorists should treat any intersection with malfunctioning traffic signals as a four-way stop.

Down power lines result in multiple injuries, 1 fatality

An 8-year-old is in critical condition at Children’s Hospital after touching a live wire in Warren Tuesday morning. Another child was also injured. The wire was located across the street from an elementary school. A 14-year-old girl was killed in Monroe after mistakenly trying to pick up a power line in her backyard.

DTE Energy says you should stay at least 20 feet away from any downed lines you see and treat them as live wires.

Internet outages reported

The storms have also caused internet and cable television outages across Detroit. Comcast says more than 2,500 residents have been affected. Some businesses have lost internet service as well.

Other headlines for Aug. 30, 2022:

  • Gas prices slightly higher this week
  • Honda, LG announce NA joint venture to invest $4.4 billion in EV batteries
  • Detroit Jazz Fest organizers prepare for Friday kickoff

Photo Credit: Johannes Plenio, Pexels

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Author

  • Jerome Vaughn
    Jerome Vaughn is News Director at 101.9 WDET. His interest in news reporting began when he was five years old, after his mom bought him a yellow Panasonic ball and chain radio.