WLKM Radio 95.9 FM
Heavy thunderstorms in the area Wednesday brought heavy precipitation and power outages.
By all accounts, it appears Branch County was hardest hit with power outages, with 3,315 Consumers Energy customers — about 20 percent of Consumers accounts there — reporting a disruption in services. The southern portion of Branch County alone had 1,644 customers without service.
St. Joseph County had 1,401 Consumers Energy customers without power as of 2 p.m. Wednesday. The largest-hit portion in St. Joseph County was the greater Burr Oak area, with 974 reporting power loss. Indiana Michigan Power reported 1,017 St. Joseph County residents without service as the storms moved into Branch County, with 912 of those being in the Klinger Lake area. There were 58 Indiana Michigan Power customers in and near Three Rivers who had lost electric service.
The Northern Indiana office of the National Weather Service reported multiple trees down along M-66 in Sturgis, a few minutes after the storm front advanced across town. Sturgis city officials also confirmed reports of downed power lines.
