UPDATE: Power Outages After Thunder Storms Number in Thousands

Strong thunderstorms blew through Shreveport Bossier at about 12:30am Thursday morning moving East across Northeast Texas and Northwest Louisiana with strong wind gusts reaching 35mph. At 3:00am Swepco.com reports outages for Caddo Parish numbering at 20,125 with Bossier at around 9,500. DeSoto, Red River, Sabine and Webster also show outages near 1,000 each.

UPDATE: As of 5:00am, Swepco.com reports Caddo outages at 20,802 and Bossier at 11,786 with DeSoto, Red River, Sabine and Webster still around the 1,000 mark.

Swepco is working to restore power to those affected as soon as possible. Please stay tuned to your local radio stations for information during events like power outages or other emergencies.

What could you have done before the power outage to prepare?
Visit www.READY.gov for information on how to be prepared, make a plan and stay informed.

Some things Swepco recommends during a power outage:

• Unplug major appliances to protect them from a power surge when power comes back on.
• Leave a light turned on so you know when power is restored.
• Refuel heaters, lamps, and generators outside, and stay away from any flames or sparks. Wipe up fuel spills immediately.
• Contact us if you're using a generator -- this protects you and our line workers as they work to restore power.
• Never operate lanterns, heaters, or fuel-fired stoves without proper ventilation.
• Never burn charcoal indoors. It releases poisonous carbon monoxide.
• Avoid downed power lines or sparking equipment.
• Never remove debris that's within 10 feet of a power line.
• Prevent children from carrying candles or oil lamps.