Storm blackouts drag on, commute troubles ahead

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Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) - Around 2 million utility customers are without electricity across a swath of states along the East Coast and as far west as Illinois as the area recovers from a round of summer storms that has also caused at least 17 deaths.
   
As of Monday morning, numbers provided by utilities in North Carolina, the mid-Atlantic region, New Jersey, Ohio and Illinois show around 2.2 million without power in those states.
   
The power outages left many to contend with stifling homes and spoiled food over the weekend as temperatures approached or exceeded 100 degrees. And utility officials say the power will likely be out for several more days.

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