OHIO — Thousands of residents across central Ohio are without power Monday morning after severe storms swept through the region overnight.
The storms, which began between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. Sunday, brought damaging winds, hail, and possible tornadoes.
Multiple tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings were issued as the system moved through the area.
By early Monday, the storms had weakened, leaving behind lingering rain.
At the peak of the outages Sunday night, more than 23,000 customers were without electricity.
As of 7 a.m. Monday, AEP Ohio reported just over 3,800 outages, primarily affecting Franklin, Licking, and Fairfield counties. South Central Power Co. reported more than 60 outages.
AEP Ohio is urging residents to take precautions and follow safety guidelines while crews work to restore power.
The company advises people to stay away from downed power lines, report hazards immediately, and avoid removing debris near power lines.
They also recommend assembling an emergency kit with essentials such as food, water, flashlights, and medications.
For safety, residents using generators should notify AEP Ohio, refuel equipment outdoors, and avoid burning charcoal indoors to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
Major appliances should be unplugged until power is fully restored.
Crews continue working to address outages, and residents can check real-time updates on outage maps provided by AEP Ohio and South Central Power Co.
