FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Indiana Michigan Power crews are working to restore electricity after severe storms moved through the Fort Wayne area.

Nearly 9,000 I&M customers were without power at the height of the outages. As of 9 a.m., fewer than 1,600 customers remained without service, with most of the outages concentrated in the Fort Wayne area.

Another round of severe weather moved through the morning, temporarily slowing restoration efforts.

I&M said most customers should have their power restored by 4 p.m., although many could see service return sooner.

Crews will continue assessing damage and restoring power as weather conditions allow.

More rain and storms are possible through the evening and overnight. I&M said strong winds, combined with saturated ground, could bring down additional trees, power lines and utility poles and lead to new outages.

The utility is reminding customers to stay away from downed power lines. Fallen lines should be considered energized, even if they appear to be inactive.

Residents who see a downed power line should keep away from the area and call local police or I&M at 1-800-311-4634.

I&M also reminds customers using generators to keep them outdoors in a dry, well-ventilated area at least 20 feet away from homes, doors, windows and vents. Generators should never be used inside a home or garage because they can produce deadly carbon monoxide.

More storm safety information is available through Indiana Michigan Power.