Norwich – Norwich Public Utilities reported that crews from the city and utilities as far away as Indiana have made “significant progress” restoring power to city customers today, bringing the number of outages down from a peak of 5,937 to 3,116 as of 1 p.m.

“We would like to remind everyone that even though the storm has passed, the lingering wind and rain can cause additional hazards,” NPU spokesman Michael Hughes said. “Please use extreme caution when cleaning any debris from your property or travelling on roadways.”

Anyone who sees a downed wire in Norwich is asked to call (860) 887-2555 and to assume the wire is live and unsafe to touch.

The Norwich Emergency Operations Center (EOC) remains open and communication among the various departments staffing has led to efficient handling of storm response issues, Hughes said.

For information about power restoration time frames, contact NPU using social media, Facebook and Twitter, keeping phone lines clear for emergencies, Hughes said. Staff is monitoring social media and will respond to inquiries.