A devastating storm swept through the Washington, D.C. region on Thursday night, leaving a trail of destruction that impacted countless homes and vehicles.
Trees were uprooted and many fell onto cars and houses, while powerful winds cut off electricity to numerous neighborhoods, plunging thousands into darkness overnight.
As of noon on Friday, over 15,000 customers of Dominion Energy, primarily in Fairfax County, were without power. Areas such as Arlington County and Alexandria also faced significant outages.
In addition to Dominion, Pepco reported more than 3,000 customers experiencing power outages in Montgomery County, along with 455 in Prince George’s County and over 870 in D.C. Crews have been mobilized to restore power as quickly as possible, working around the clock to address the damage.
In Arlington, an 80-year-old tree split in two and fell largely onto the home of a 90-year-old neighbor. Fortunately, the senior resident was not injured, thanks to the quick actions of nearby residents who helped her to safety.
The resident commented on the community spirit, saying, “The people here are nice. Everybody watches out for each other… it really says a lot because this is an urban area. But people know each other. We watch out for each other.”
The storm packed a punch, with wind speeds reaching 61 mph at Washington Reagan National Airport and 66 mph at Dulles. Numerous thunderstorm warnings were issued throughout the evening, heightening fears during the rush hour.
Despite the severe damage, no significant injuries have been reported.
Georgetown University faced challenges as its Canal Road and Prospect Street entrances were blocked due to fallen trees, although access to the campus was still available via Reservoir Road.
Throughout the area, roads remained congested with debris and fallen trees, prompting timely updates from local news outlets like WTOP.
In a startling incident in Bethesda, Kevin Vigneault encountered danger while driving his daughter and friends home from a canceled swim practice.
He recounted the horrifying moment when lightning struck a tree, causing it to fall across the street, hitting other vehicles and bringing down power lines.
Trapped in his car, Vigneault and the girls sprinted to the safety of a nearby house where construction workers were present.
Just moments later, he watched in shock as the situation escalated. “As we were in the house, the truck lit up on fire…maybe 10 minutes later, it was like, you know, kind of fully engulfed in flames,” he said.
Meanwhile, Barbara Verangis, residing nearby, observed colossal trees snapping and crashing during the storm from her window.
“Usually there’s a big thud, and everything shakes, but all I heard was ‘crunch’ when it hit the cars,” she recalled, expressing disbelief at the destruction unfolding outside.
The Dulles Toll Road was not spared either, with two large trees falling across the highway near Idylwood Road, blocking both lanes and impacting several cars.
Miraculously, no injuries were reported as bystanders stopped to help clear the road, showing resilience and camaraderie in the face of adversity.
In another part of Washington, D.C., a tree was found resting precariously on a historic home near Connecticut Avenue and Jennifer Street, lifting dirt and bricks into the air as it fell.
In Northeast D.C., emergency personnel responded to reports of a building collapse at 19th and H Street. Fortunately, no individuals were trapped inside, and all were accounted for.
Capitol Hill residents reported similar damage, with one witness, Aisha Soofi, describing the moment she saw a tree topple onto her neighbor’s home while she casually made dinner.
Soofi noted the eerie calm before the chaos struck, saying, “I had my headphones in… I saw the chairs on the porch moving, and I was like, Oh, something’s happening out there.”
As the region begins to recover from the storm, forecasters predict calmer weather in the coming days, with no rain or storms expected on Friday, providing much-needed respite for those affected.
With a heat wave approaching, residents hope for a swift resolution to the power outages and structural damage left in the wake of the storm.
image source from：nbcwashington
