DC thunderstorms knock out power across region, leaving at least 4 dead - Washington Post

Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell declared a state of emergency and authorized the National Guard to assist with clearing trees and directing traffic. McDonnell (R) said the storm triggered Virginia's largest non-hurricane power outage in history and forced the closure of 250 secondary and rural roads because of fallen trees.

"This is a very dangerous situation for Virginia,'' McDonnell said, urging residents to check on elderly neighbors and those without electricity. "Recovery will be difficult,'' he said. "It's going to be days before power is fully restored in the commonwealth."

Two fatalities were reported in the Springfield area of Fairfax County. A falling tree struck a car at Old Keene Mill Road and Bauer Drive, killing the male driver, said Officer Don Gotthardt, a Fairfax County police spokesman. A 90-year-old woman, lying in bed, was killed when a tree fell on her house, authorities said.

A fallen tree also apparently killed a 71-year-old woman in her bed in in Silver Spring, Montgomery County police said. In Anne Arundel County, a 25-year-old Edgewater man was killed when a tree fell on his car as he was driving on Harwood Road.

In Northwest Washington, a person after touching a live electrical wire, said Pepco authorities, who urged people to be cautious around the many down lines.

In addition to the five local fatalities, four deaths were reported elsewhere in Virginia — two each in Albemarle and Bedford counties. Meanwhile, four people were rescued and one person still missing after boat swamped and capsized last night off Chesapeake Beach in Calvert County, Maryland State Police said.

"We had a very historic event last night," Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) told reporters on a late-morning conference call. He predicted "a very uncomfortable day ahead for a whole lot of Marylanders."

Metrobus riders faced delays Saturday morning on more than two dozen routes as drivers attempted to navigate around downed trees, downed power lines and large pools of standing water, said Metro spokesman Dan Stessel.

Metrorail service, meanwhile, opened on time Saturday, but five stations were still operating on back-up power — Forest Glen, Takoma, Twinbrook, College Park and Clarendon. Court House station lost power and Metro deployed shuttle buses on the Orange line between Clarendon and Rosslyn.

Crews worked to replace a section of track near Twinbrook after a metal pole from a tent used by a nearby car dealership hit a section of electrified rail just before 11 p.m. leaving a gash.