CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Hurricane Matthew has left more damage in the Carolinas than expected.
Duke Energy says that, because of this, electrical systems will need to be rebuilt in some of their service areas.
They are reporting 660,000 outages in North and South Carolina.
In areas where the storm has cleared, Duke Energy crews have restored power to more than 400,000 customers.
However, they say it could take up to a week to complete restorations.
Duke Energy has about 5,600 line workers, tree crews, damage assessors and support people in the field. They say this number will increase as more help is needed.
“It’s very hazardous out there, and conditions aren’t going to improve quickly,” said Bobby Simpson, Duke Energy’s storm director. “We are asking folks to be safe and be patient. The sun may be out today, but it doesn’t mean everything is okay. We’re looking at a long, difficult road to recovery.”
