Bloomington residents are without power after severe storm on Tuesday. What we know

It might be a good idea to check on your friends or family who live in Bloomington and if you're planning to head to Monroe County, you might check your route in advance.

A weather “supercell” uprooted trees and utility poles, cutting electricity to about 43,000 customers in Bloomington late Tuesday afternoon, The Herald-Times reported.

Here's what we know.

Local officials warn residents to stay off the roads

A Duke Energy spokeswoman urged people to remain cautious, especially during their commutes, as many roads have fallen trees, debris and power lines blocking them. Many traffic signals are not working.

“It’s really bad,” said Liz Irwin, a Bloomington-based government and community relations manager for the energy company.

“Just try to stay home,” said Justin Baker, deputy director of Monroe County Emergency Management.

Baker said he did not yet have a list of which roads were closed to vehicle traffic but he would update the department’s website (tinyurl.com/mv6vhpk4) and share the information via social media as soon as it is available.

Bloomington storm updates

The storm struck during rush hour Tuesday and resulted in fallen debris making some roads impassable, which caused delays that affected many commutes.

There had been reports of strong winds — Irwin said up to 60 mph —felled trees and gas leaks. No injuries had been reported as of Tuesday evening.

When will power be restored in Bloomington?

Irwin said Duke’s crews were still assessing damages and she could not yet estimate when power would be restored.

The utility was bringing in additional crews to determine to which areas they can restore power most quickly, she said.

Stay safe if you have to leave your home

Baker said if people have to leave their homes they should stay away from power lines and trees. Irwin agreed, warning people that power lines may be live even though they are on the ground.

Duke Energy safety tips if you encounter downed power lines:

• Stay away from power lines that have fallen or are sagging.

• Consider all power lines – as well as trees, limbs and anything else in contact with power lines – energized and dangerous.

• Report all power line hazards to Duke Energy at 800-228-8485, or contact your local emergency services department or agency.

• Keep children and family pets away from areas where lines may have fallen (backyards, fields, schoolyards, etc.).

• If a power line falls across a car that you're 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.

• Watch a safety video here: tinyurl.com/kxp6h7jr

Check here for updates: 'Supercell' knocks out power to tens of thousands in southern Indiana

Boris Ladwig can be reached at bladwig@heraldt.com.

Katie Wiseman is a trending news intern at IndyStar. Contact her at klwiseman@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @itskatiewiseman.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Bloomington residents still without power after 'supercell'