AUGUSTA — Officials in Maine say between 150 and 200 people spent Friday night in shelters after losing their power because of the state’s worst ice storm in a decade.
About 18 shelters are open, most of them in southern and coastal Maine.
The Maine Emergency Management Agency says temperature readings and progress in restoring electricity to those still in the dark will likely determine how many people make use of the shelters. Overnight lows are expected to be in the lower teens and single numbers in most of the hard-hit areas.
MEMA spokeswoman Lynette Miller is emphasizing safety, especially in regard to avoiding use of generators indoors and in enclosed areas. Miller is also cautioning about safe operation of chain saws when clearing downed tree limbs and says never try to remove brush near downed power lines.