Severe thunderstorms with high winds, heavy rains and possible tornado’s move across southwest Missouri yesterday, causing thousands of people to be without power.

In Springfield, City Utilities has made headway with restoring power however close to 20 thousand homes are still are not with power this morning. Close to 50 thousand people were without power on Tuesday afternoon.

CU officials say it may be days before Springfield’s power is totally restored and has asked for utility assistance from other support response teams to help with the restoration.

Other counties reporting power outages include Barry, Christian, Dade, Dallas, and Lawrence Counties.  Liberty Utilities has indicated that many are reported  without power,  in Aurora, Republic, and Willard areas.

If you encounter downed power lines, always assume they are energized.

Stay far away and report them immediately by calling (417) 863-9000 or 911.

City Utilities has also received reports of natural gas odors and possible leaks. If you smell gas or suspect a gas leak, leave the area immediately and call 911 or City Utilities at (417) 863-9000. Do not use electrical switches, phones, or anything that could create a spark.

For your safety, never drive over a downed power line.

If you are using a generator, operate it outside your home and garage to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.

Never plug a generator into an outlet. Instead, plug your necessary items directly into the generator to avoid backfeeding the electric lines, which could cause serious injury to our electrical line worker

(Info Courtesy Ky-3)