Hurricane Irma: Orange County Public Schools Remain Closed

ORLANDO, FL — Orange County public schools will remain closed Wednesday and Thursday as the region picks up the pieces in the wake of the deadly Hurricane Irma.

The district made the announcement on its website late Tuesday afternoon.

"We know that many families remain without power, are working on repairs or traveling from out-of-state evacuation locations," the district said in a Facebook post.

The district said 66 schools still don't have electricity. (For more information on Orange County school closures and other Orlando stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

Watch: Hurricane Irma's Destructive Journey By The Numbers

Employees will be alerted about when to come to work to prepare for reopening schools, the district said.

Tuesday morning, Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs said about 300,000 homes were without power, and residents were asked to avoid using water as much as possible, including showering, doing laundry and flushing toilets, until crews are able to resolve issues with the county wastewater pumps.

Most roads have been deemed safe to drive on, residents are urged to use caution when driving as hundreds of traffic signals are still not working due to lack of power.

Photo credit: Pixabay