belfasttelegraph

Monday 20 May 2013

Millions without power after storms

Violent storms have swept across the eastern United States, killing at least 13 people (AP)
Mike Wolfe's pickup truck lies under a fallen tree in front of his house after a severe storm in Falls Church, Virginia (AP)
At least nine people have died in summer storms in the US (AP)

More than 3 million people in the eastern United States have faced a second day of 100-degree (40C) temperatures without electricity after storms ripped through the region, killing 13 people.

It could be several days before all power is restored to Washington DC and other areas affected when storms toppled massive trees onto cars and blocked roads in the nation's capital late on Friday.

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley said: "Unlike a polite hurricane that gives you three days of warning, this storm gave us all the impact of a hurricane without any of the warning of a hurricane."

At least six were killed in Virginia, including a 90-year-old woman asleep in her bed when a tree slammed into her home.

Two young cousins in New Jersey were killed when a tree fell on their tent while camping.

Two people were killed in Maryland, one in Ohio, one in Kentucky and one in Washington.

In West Virginia on Friday night, 232 Amtrak passengers were stranded on a train blocked on both sides of the tracks by toppled trees. Amtrak spokesman Steve Kulm said passengers were taken away by buses on Saturday night.

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