According to AEP, many AEP customers are without power following the storm

(WSET) — Severe thunderstorms that swept across much of Appalachian Power's service area Wednesday evening left more than 10,000 customers without power as of 7 a.m. The number of outages is expected to increase throughout the day as heavy rain and strong winds are forecast for most of the day and into Friday. Crews are currently assessing the damage and working to restore power where it is safe, AEP said.

AEP describes the failures and damages below:

Crews are still working to assess the damage caused by Tuesday night's severe storm. Virginia was the hardest hit, with about 6,500 customers without power as of 7 a.m., followed by West Virginia with 2,500 and Tennessee with 1,000. There are currently approximately 275 outages across the service area. At the peak of the storm, approximately 1,600 customers were without power in Floyd County, Virginia, and approximately 1,000 customers were without power in Kingsport, Tennessee.

AEP outlines the restoration estimates below:

Most customers who lost power Wednesday night will have power restored by 11 p.m. Thursday night, weather permitting.

SEE ALSO: Rain eases for some on Thursday, impacts from Helene arrive this evening

As Hurricane Helene is expected to continue bringing heavy rains and gusty winds to their region, all Appalachian Power crews and contractors are on alert, packed and ready for work at their respective locations. The company is currently working to recruit additional crews to help with increasing outages, AEP said.

AEP describes how clients can prepare:

Plan in case of a power outage. Check with anyone who is elderly, has young children, or has an illness to make sure they have a plan, and don't forget your pets.

Charge devices like phones, laptops, portable chargers, and other electronic devices to keep you connected.

Prepare an emergency kit. This includes at least non-perishable food, water, a flashlight, batteries, a battery-operated radio, a first aid kit and the necessary medication.

AEP provides the following security notice:

Storms cause damage that can cause power lines to collapse. Customers should treat all downed lines as live lines and avoid them. Never touch downed power lines or sparking devices. Keep children and pets away from downed wires and anything that could touch the wires and call 911 and Appalachian Power immediately at 1-800-956-4237.

If you are using a portable or RV generator, do not connect the generator to your electrical box.

Find additional safety tips Here.

SEE ALSO: Gov. Youngkin declares a state of emergency ahead of Hurricane Helene

Further information:

Customers can subscribe to Appalachian Power outage alerts to receive specific information about outages affecting their accounts via text message and/or email. To register, please visit Appalachian Power Alerts.

A snapshot of current outages is available at any time at Appalachian Power outage map.

AEP said the next update will be at 1 p.m