Hurricane Helene aftermath, power outages

Off of SE 36th Avenue in front of Ward Highlands Elementary OEU crews restored power [OEU].

Nearly 42,000 Marion County utility customers are out of power Friday morning in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which made landfall near Perry, Florida as a Category 4 hurricane late Thursday night.

Of the 41,778 customers in Marion County currently out of power, 24,797 are Duke Energy, 9,096 are Clay Electric Cooperative, 6,280 are Ocala Electric Utility, 1,592 are SECO Energy and 11 are Central Florida Electric Cooperative, according to Find Energy.

The western portion of Marion County evidently was hardest hit by Hurricane Helene over Thursday night and Friday morning, according to a Marion County Sheriff’s Office spokesman.

MCSO spokesperson Zach Moore stated in a text “western Marion County got the brunt of what we are seeing.”

“There are trees and power lines down throughout though,” he said about specific areas of damage.

A look around Southeast Maricamp Road east of Baseline Road revealed limited observable damage with some downed trees and an electric crew working on overhead lines at Water Road.

James (right) and Gabriel Burton (left) work to cut up and move a tree blocking the front driveway of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church at 10670 SE Maricamp Rd. on Friday morning [Andy Fillmore/Ocala Gazette].

The MCSO Division of Emergency is working to remove debris, clear roadways, and restore utilities.

The shelter at West Port High School is in the process of being demobilized and residents are returning home.

All government offices and Marion County Public Schools will resume normal operations on Monday.