Powerful winds associated with a bomb cyclone wreaked havoc across western Washington on Tuesday night, resulting in extensive damage and leaving hundreds of thousands without power. The storm caused numerous trees to fall, damaging homes and obstructing roads throughout the region.
Tragically, a woman in her 50s lost her life when a large tree collapsed on a homeless encampment in Lynnwood, according to South County Fire, which communicated the news via social media platform X. By Wednesday morning, reports indicated that more than half a million residents remained without electricity, following a peak outage of around 600,000 customers on Tuesday.
In response to the storm’s impact, several schools and districts announced delays or closures during the late Tuesday to Wednesday morning period.
The storm’s destructive force led to dangerous situations, including a tree falling on a trailer in Maple Valley where two occupants had to be rescued and treated at a hospital. Firefighters in Seattle also extricated an individual trapped in their vehicle due to a fallen tree in the Maple Leaf neighborhood. In Snohomish County, many roads were blocked by downed trees and power lines. Meanwhile, in Issaquah, emergency crews responded to a tree that had fallen onto a home, fortunately without causing injuries.
In a notable incident, a tree collapsed onto a King County Metro bus early Wednesday morning in Seattle’s Wedgwood neighborhood, but there were no immediate reports of injuries.
The term “bomb cyclone” refers to a meteorological phenomenon known as “bombogenesis,” and it occurs when a storm system significantly intensifies, dropping at least 24 millibars in pressure within 24 hours.
As the community begins to recover, this incident serves as a reminder of the power of nature and the importance of emergency preparedness. The local response teams have been working tirelessly to restore safety and power, demonstrating resilience in the face of adversity.
In summary, while the damage caused by the storm has been severe, the community’s quick and unified response to the aftermath highlights the strength and solidarity of those affected. Recovery efforts are underway, and hopefully, everyone will return to normalcy soon.