CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) The severe storms that rumbled across North Carolina and South Carolina are long gone, but their effects are lingering.

Duke Energy said over 44,000 customers in North Carolina remained without power Wednesday evening, more than a day after the storms raced across the state. Guilford, Gaston and Mecklenburg counties were the hardest hit.

In South Carolina, the utility reported more than 4,100 outages, with more than half of them in Spartanburg County.

Duke Energy says it has called in extra crews to help restore power, but warns it likely will be Friday before electricity is restored to everyone.

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