A strong bomb cyclone struck the Pacific Northwest and northern California early Wednesday, killing at least one person and leaving hundreds of thousands without power.
The National Weather Service had warned that a once-in-a-decade bomb cyclone would hit Washington, Oregon, and northern California on Tuesday afternoon and continue until Wednesday morning.
On X, it predicted that continuous heavy rains from an air river would continue over far northern California and southwest Oregon until Friday. Winds gusting above 60 mph were expected to create power disruptions and destroy trees along the shore.
South County Fire, which is based in Snohomish County just north of Seattle, announced on Facebook late Tuesday that a woman in her 50s had died when a tree has fallen onto a homeless encampment due to heavy winds.
According to fire officials in Puget Sound, Washington’s northwest coast, two persons were hurt when a tree fell on a trailer in Maple Valley. Both of the victims had been inside the trailer.
According to fire officials, one was quickly saved, while the other required approximately an hour to remove. Both have now been hospitalized, according to officials.
Late Tuesday, the National Weather Service issued a warning about the threat presented by trees in severe winds. “Be safe by avoiding external rooms and windows, and drive with caution. Trim any loose limbs and park away from trees to avoid property damage,” it stated on X.
The Bellevue Fire Department, located east of Seattle, issued a warning about “trees falling all over the city, with multiple falling onto homes.”
“If possible, get to the lowest floor you can and keep away from windows. “If possible, avoid going outside,” it urged on Facebook.
According to poweroutage.us, more than 700,000 people in Washington, 26,000 in California, and roughly 9,000 in Oregon had lost power as of 1:20 a.m. PST.
Power failures forced the Eatonville School District in Washington to cancel classes on Wednesday.
“Due to widespread power outages, fallen trees, and high winds in some areas, school is canceled on Wednesday,” the agency stated in a statement.
