Washington, USA: On Wednesday night, tornadoes and other severe weather moved throughout Maryland and Virginia, causing damage and injuring a number of people.
According to the local emergency management, at least one of the tornadoes made landfall in the Maryland towns of Germantown and Poolesville.
Along Interstate 270, which travels northwest from the metro, there have also been reports of power flashes. Additionally, Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service has been called in in response to reports of persons stuck in Gaithersburg.
At least six individuals were reportedly trapped in homes by fallen trees, according to early reports. After first responders released the victims, several of them needed medical attention.
According to firefighters, at least five patients were taken to a nearby hospital after suffering injuries, with at least one of those cases reportedly requiring major medical attention.
Several tornado warnings were issued for the cells by the local National Weather Service office, which also stated that storm spotters had reported at least one of the cells to be a “Particularly Dangerous Situation.”
“Spotters and video footage seem to indicate that the original tornado passed just south of Poolesville before fading away. Then, just after the storm, another tornado formed west of I-270 close to Gaithersburg and started to move east,” a NWS meteorologist reported.
SEE MORE – Thunderstorms and Heavy Rain Expected in DMV On Wednesday: Weather Watch Alert Issued
Over 13,000 electric outages were reported in the mid-Atlantic by PowerOutage.us, with Maryland experiencing the highest number of disruptions.
Due to the volume of 911 calls, the Montgomery County Communications center declared it was working in Condition Red; nonetheless, officials stated they were giving priority to the most seriously ill.
Spotters in Germantown, Maryland, reported substantial damage from a tornado to a water resource recovery facility.
In spite of the fact that everyone who lived there managed to escape unharmed, the Sykesville Fire Department in northern Maryland stated that at least ten structures were destroyed during Wednesday’s strong storms.
Another tornado was observed near Arbutus, Maryland, which is southwest of Baltimore. It is said to have crossed Interstate 95.
In order to ascertain the number of tornadoes that formed and their strengths on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, the NWS office plans to examine a number of communities that are less than an hour’s drive outside of Washington, D.C.
Tornadoes and other extreme weather are common in the D.C. and mid-Atlantic regions. Approximately a year prior, the metro saw extensive damage due to winds over 80 mph.
Flood Warnings Issued in Baltimore and Washington
Because of the possibility of strong rain from the systems passing through the area, the NWS additionally issued Flood Watches for the Baltimore and Washington regions.
Multiple rounds of intense rains and thunderstorms are expected to travel throughout the region into the late hours, according to forecasters.
“Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying and flood-prone areas,” stated the National Weather Service. In metropolitan locations with inadequate drainage, flooding can happen. Crossings at low tide might flood.”
According to the NWS, 1-2 inches of rain are expected throughout the area, with isolated reports of 3–4 inches possible in areas where the strongest storms pass through.