OCALA, FL (352today.com) – The storm has passed, but Hurricane Idalia’s impacts are still here in the 352, with many areas still out of power today.

As of 6 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 31, there are still 146,000 power outages across the state, said Governor Ron DeSantis during a briefing about the recovery efforts from the state Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee this morning. Most of these are in Florida’s Big Bend. The governor said 420,000 outages have already been restored, and rural co-ops are working to accept mutual aid from linemen who were staged to respond prior to Idalia’s arrival. The current top priority is areas with significant damage to the electrical infrastructure, like Taylor County.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Ocala Electric Utility (OEU) successfully resolved all outages in Ocala. That’s 67 outages affecting 7,195 customers. However, areas more affected by the storm, as well as less populated areas, are still experiencing power outages.

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Duke Energy Florida crews say they are still responding to outages but expected to restore power to 95% of all customers who can receive power by Wednesday night. They said crews have already restored power for more than 135,000 customers.

Areas where flooding remains or there’s damage to the utility’s infrastructure and strong winds will have to wait longer for electricity. The hardest-hit counties are in the Big Bend. In the 352, parts of Alachua, Dixie, Gilchrist and Levy Counties are still without power.

While the power is out, Duke Energy says it’s important to remember power lines should always be considered energized. You could be electrocuted by anything in contact with lines, as well, including water, trees, limbs and fences.

Here are some more important safety reminders.

  • Avoid fallen or sagging power lines, as well as anything touching them.
  • Do not approach downed power lines or electrical wires. Do not drive over downed power lines.
  • Electric currents travel easily through water. Stay away from standing water. Downed lines might be concealed by rain.
  • If a power line falls across your vehicle, stay in place, and only exit the vehicle if there is a fire or other life-threatening emergency. If you must exit, try to jump clear of the vehicle and land on both feet. Make sure no part of your body is touching the vehicle when your feet touch the ground.
  • Always follow generator instructions. In an update from Governor Ron DeSantis yesterday morning, he reminded Floridians to keep generators at least 20 feet from their homes and angle the exhaust away from the house.
  • Turn off generators when utility crews show up to fix the power. The increased electrical load on power lines caused by generators can be dangerous for crews.
  • Turn off the power when you evacuate or if your home may flood. Use the circuit breaker panel or fuse box to turn off the power to the entire house.
  • In the case of a flood, Duke Energy can’t reconnect power until the electrical system has been inspected by a licensed electrician. If there is damage to the electrical system, the electrician must make repairs and get building inspectors’ approval before the power can be reconnected.
  • Homeowners are responsible for contacting electricians to reattach meter boxes which have been pulled away from the house’s service pole. Counties sometimes require electrical inspections before power can be restored.

Power outages should be reported to your utility service. Find out how to report power outages here.

Duke Energy customers can also report outages on Duke Energy’s website, mobile app or by texting OUT to 57801. Customers can sign up for Outage Alerts here.