Powerful storm kills 2 people and leaves 1.1 million without power in eastern US

Two fatalities were reported, and over 1.1 million residential and commercial establishments were left without electricity on Monday, following intense storms including hail and lightning that ravaged the eastern United States. Thousands of flights across the U.S. were either delayed or canceled.

A tornado watch was put into effect by the National Weather Service for the greater region around Washington, D.C., lasting until 9 in the evening. An alarming notice from the Weather Service highlighted the considerable risk of destructive winds with the force of a hurricane, along with possibilities of large hail and tornadoes, some potentially severe.

The meteorological disturbance was far-reaching, with tornado alerts being issued in 10 states ranging from Tennessee to New York. On Monday afternoon, over 29.5 million individuals were under tornado watch.

In Anderson, South Carolina, tragedy struck when a 15-year-old boy was killed by a falling tree as he alighted from a vehicle at his grandparent’s residence amid the storm, as per the local Coroner’s Office.

In another incident, a 28-year-old man in Florence, Alabama lost his life after being hit by lightning, as reported by WAAY-TV.

FlightAware, a flight tracking service, disclosed that by Monday night, 2,600 U.S. flights were canceled, and about 7,900 faced delays. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport was particularly affected, still grappling with the aftermath of storms the previous day.

The Federal Aviation Administration made arrangements to reroute planes around the storms directed towards the East Coast.

In response to the weather, the White House rescheduled President Joe Biden’s departure on a four-day trip and canceled a cybersecurity event featuring the first lady, Jill Biden, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and others.

The Office of Personnel Management declared an early closure at 3 p.m. for all federal offices and non-emergency employees.

According to National Weather Service meteorologist Chris Strong, the weather event was among the most significant in the Mid-Atlantic region in recent memory. He warned residents to seek robust shelter.

An MLB game was postponed, and a flash flood warning was issued in Maryland after heavy rainfall. By early evening, power outages extended over several states along the storm’s path, with extensive and widespread damage in Tennessee likely taking days to repair.

The storm also caused the falling of trees and power lines in numerous states, blocking roads and damaging properties. A line of utility poles was knocked down in Westminster, Maryland, and at least one house in Hockessin, Delaware had its roof torn off.

One resident, Tom Tomovich, recounted the swift and unexpected force of the winds, saying, “We went into the house and we were on the first floor, and before we could blink an eye the winds just came right through the back of our house.”

The report had contributions from multiple sources including Big Big News writer Darlene Superville in Washington and AP Airlines Writer David Koenig.

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• National Weather Service
• FlightAware
• Poweroutage.us
• WAAY-TV
• Federal Aviation Administration
• The White House
• Office of Personnel Management
• Knoxville Utilities Board