MUSKEGON, Mich. (AP) — Severe thunderstorms cut power to thousands of homes and businesses Tuesday in western Michigan, less than a week after storms left thousands in the dark across the state in suburban Detroit.

Roughly 98,000 Consumers Energy customers were still without power by the evening, with most of those outages in Muskegon and Oceana counties along Lake Michigan, the utility said.

Crews would be focusing “on assessing damage and restoring critical customers first," Consumers Energy said.

Indiana Michigan Power, which serves areas in both states, said 3,500 customers were in the dark by late afternoon, down from the 11,000 who lost power earlier Tuesday.

The utility said the Three Rivers, Michigan, area was hardest hit by the storms that knocked down trees and tree limbs.

About 500 utility workers were heading from northern Indiana to southwestern Michigan to restore power, although I&M said more storms could slow down the effort.

“It’s not safe for our lineworkers to work aloft in bucket trucks or on the ground with electrical equipment amid strong winds, lightning and heavy rain,” the utility said.