POWER OUTAGES | Thousands without power after severe storms push through region
STARTS TO WORK ITS WAY IN. MIKE, REAL QUICK, WANT TO GO LIVE TO ONE OF OUR REPORTERS? GIACOMO LUCA. HE’S ON DREAM STREET IN FLORENCE. GIACOMO IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, KIND OF SHOW US WHAT’S GOING ON. HOW LONG YOU BEEN OUT THERE? YEAH, MIKE, WE’VE BEEN ON THE SCENE IN THIS GENERAL AREA IN FLORENCE FOR ABOUT HALF AN HOUR NOW. OF COURSE, WE CAN SEE QUITE A BIT OF DAMAGE ALL ALONG. DREAM STREET. THIS IS ACTUALLY THE SIGN THAT CAME RED APPLIANCES AND MATTRESSES THAT ACTUALLY SHOT UP FROM OVER TOP THERE OF THE ROOF, GETTING RIPPED OFF AND BLOWN TOWARD US. OF COURSE, THE POWER’S OUT IN THIS AREA, AND AS WE JUST FLIP THE CAMERA AROUND HERE, YOU CAN SEE AUTHORITIES ALREADY HAVE TAPED OFF THIS AREA HERE AT THE RODEWAY INN, WHERE THERE’S ALSO SOME SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. UNCLEAR IF THAT CAME FROM OTHER BUILDINGS OR ACTUALLY AT THE BUSINESS ITSELF. BUT WE CAN SEE SEVERAL FOLKS OUT HERE IN THE PARKING LOT AS WE JUST PAN DOWN TO YOU CAN SEE RIGHT HERE ON THE GROUND SHINGLES. NOW HERE IN THE ROAD, OF COURSE, WE’RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF THIS. I’M NOTICING A LOT OF DEBRIS. AND OF COURSE, IT’S VERY DARK HERE ALL ALONG. AND AROUND FLORENCE. GIVEN THE NATURE OF THESE STORMS THAT WE SAW HERE EARLY THIS MORNING. SO JUST ONE THING, AS FOLKS ARE DRIVING AROUND, I KNOW FOLKS ARE GOING TO WANT TO KNOW WHETHER OR NOT HOMES OR BUSINESSES ARE DAMAGED. YOU MIGHT BE CHECKING IN ON FAMILY OR FRIENDS, BUT BE VERY CAREFUL BECAUSE SOME OF THIS STUFF WILL COME UP ON YOU VERY QUICKLY. OF COURSE, WE’VE SEEN ROCKS, WE’VE SEEN TREE BRANCHES, PORTIONS OF OTHER DEBRIS ALSO IN THE ROAD AS FOLKS ARE MOVING OUT AND ABOUT. OF COURSE, THE STREET LIGHTS ARE OUT. SO ALSO ANOTHER WARNING THAT THOSE STREET LIGHTS HAVE BECOME STOP SIGNS NOW
POWER OUTAGES | Thousands without power after severe storms push through region
Updated: 4:22 AM EDT Jun 18, 2026
Severe storms, including tornado-warned storms, are pushing through the Cincinnati region overnight Thursday.Storms are causing many to lose power across the region.SEE LATEST OUTAGES HERE As of 4:21 a.m., Duke Energy is reporting more than 10,000 customers are without power.A majority of the outages are contained to southwestern Ohio, near Harrison, in northern Kentucky in the Florence Mall area and eastern Ohio near Batavia.Duke Energy, one of the largest energy providers across Greater Cincinnati, helps residents prepare for storms in case they experience an extended power outage.If you experience an outage, you can report it by texting “OUT” to 57801.After the stormStay away from power lines that have fallen or are sagging. Consider all lines energized, as well as trees, limbs or anything in contact with lines.If a power line falls across a car that you are in, stay in the car. If you MUST get out of the car due to a fire or other immediate life-threatening situation, do your best to jump clear of the car and land on both feet. Be sure that no part of your body is touching the car when your feet touch the ground.The quickest way for customers in Ohio and Kentucky to report power outages is by calling 1.800.543.5599.You can receive status updates on a power outage affecting you by texting REG to 57801, or sign-up online at duke-energy.com/outagealerts.Generator SafetyAlways operate a generator in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidelines and instructions. Do not operate more appliances and equipment than the output rating of the generator.To avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, never use a generator indoors or in attached garages.Only operate the generator outdoors in a well-ventilated, dry area away from air intakes into the home.To avoid electrocution, plug individual appliances into the generator using heavy-duty, outdoor-rated cords with a wire gauge adequate for the appliance load.If connecting into the house wiring is necessary on a temporary basis, homes should have a transfer switch installed by a licensed electrician.
CINCINNATI —
Severe storms, including tornado-warned storms, are pushing through the Cincinnati region overnight Thursday.
Storms are causing many to lose power across the region.
As of 4:21 a.m., Duke Energy is reporting more than 10,000 customers are without power.
A majority of the outages are contained to southwestern Ohio, near Harrison, in northern Kentucky in the Florence Mall area and eastern Ohio near Batavia.
Duke Energy, one of the largest energy providers across Greater Cincinnati, helps residents prepare for storms in case they experience an extended power outage.
If you experience an outage, you can report it by texting “OUT” to 57801.
After the storm
Stay away from power lines that have fallen or are sagging. Consider all lines energized, as well as trees, limbs or anything in contact with lines.If a power line falls across a car that you are in, stay in the car. If you MUST get out of the car due to a fire or other immediate life-threatening situation, do your best to jump clear of the car and land on both feet. Be sure that no part of your body is touching the car when your feet touch the ground.The quickest way for customers in Ohio and Kentucky to report power outages is by calling 1.800.543.5599.You can receive status updates on a power outage affecting you by texting REG to 57801, or sign-up online at duke-energy.com/outagealerts.
Generator Safety
Always operate a generator in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidelines and instructions. Do not operate more appliances and equipment than the output rating of the generator.To avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, never use a generator indoors or in attached garages.Only operate the generator outdoors in a well-ventilated, dry area away from air intakes into the home.To avoid electrocution, plug individual appliances into the generator using heavy-duty, outdoor-rated cords with a wire gauge adequate for the appliance load.If connecting into the house wiring is necessary on a temporary basis, homes should have a transfer switch installed by a licensed electrician.