Hurricane Michael damage so extensive, company inspecting with boats and drones Hurricane Michael damage so extensive, company inspecting with boats and drones

Hurricane Michael damage so extensive, company inspecting with boats and drones

Drone footage and photos of damage

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With the Florida Panhandle devastated after Hurricane Michael, Duke Energy crews are using a variety of methods to assess damage. Where trucks were not an option, crews walked, used boats and flew drones or helicopters to determine where the company will deploy crews and equipment and how long repairs will take. 

Customers who experience an outage during the storm can report it by:

  • Visiting dukeenergyupdates.com on a desktop computer or mobile device.
  • Texting OUT to 57801 (standard text and data charges may apply).
  • Calling the automated outage-reporting system:
    • Duke Energy Florida: 800.228.8485
    • Duke Energy Carolinas: 800.769.3766
    • Duke Energy Progress: 800.419.6356

Hurricane Michael sped through the Florida Panhandle Wednesday with sustained winds of 150 mph. It was the most powerful storm recorded in the area, and in Mexico Beach and surrounding towns, buildings were leveled and boats were in pieces on the shore.

An estimated 31,000 Duke Energy Florida customers lost power due to the hurricane – 80 percent of Duke Energy’s customers in Bay, Franklin, Gulf, Jefferson and Wakulla counties.

The storm damaged numerous electric transmission and distribution facilities, including substations, utility poles, power lines and other key system components – all of which will need to be replaced or repaired before power can be restored to homes and businesses.

The company’s first priority is restoring power to the surviving critical infrastructure –emergency centers, police and fire stations, hospitals, water treatment plants, other public health and safety facilities, and schools.

Here are photos from the panhandle:

Alligator Point, Fla.

Mexico Beach, Fla.

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Carrabelle, Fla.

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2018-1011-Gibbs-Carrabelle-2

 

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