Severe storms in Seattle kill two people, including a 10-year-old girl, as trees sent tumbling and half a million lose electricity  

  • Father of 3-year-old killed in car, while 10-year-old dies when she was struck by tree limb at friend's birthday party
  • More than 460,000 people thought to have lost electricity at some point according to power company estimates
  • Four people injured at Joint Base Lewis-McChord triathlon, thought all were in good condition Saturday night
  • Winds of 35mph whip trees around, with one weather station reporting gusts of up to 63mph in rare summer storm

By Associated Press and Dailymail.com Reporter

Published: 20:01 EST, 29 August 2015 | Updated: 00:24 EST, 30 August 2015

Powerful winds toppled trees and power lines across the Pacific Northwest on Saturday, causing two deaths in the Seattle area and knocking out electricity to nearly 500,000 customers.

A man was killed when a tree fell on his Subaru in Gig Harbor, Washington, around 11am. His 3-year-old daughter was in the back seat, but she was not hurt.

In Federal Way, a 10-year-old girl playing outside at a friend's birthday party was struck and killed by a falling limb from an alder tree.

The identity of the girl, from the Burien area south of downtown Seattle, was not immediately released.

A severe storm that knocked over numerous trees in the Seattle area was responsible for the deaths of two people on Saturday. Above, residents of Lynnwood, Washington look at a row of downed trees

A severe storm that knocked over numerous trees in the Seattle area was responsible for the deaths of two people on Saturday. Above, residents of Lynnwood, Washington look at a row of downed trees

The storm also knocked out power to almost 500,000 people as one weather station clocked gusts of wind at up to 63mph

The storm also knocked out power to almost 500,000 people as one weather station clocked gusts of wind at up to 63mph

The adult man killed was driving home from Costco with his daughter when his car was hit by a falling tree, according to KING-TV.

Falling trees or branches also injured four people during a triathlon at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, south of Seattle. 

They were taken to an Army hospital for treatment and were said to be in good condition, according to the Olympian.

Trees on roadways caused widespread traffic problems.

The National Weather Service reported 20 to 35mph winds, with gusts of 50mph. One weather station in Hoquiam clocked a gust of 63 mph.

Late August is unusually early for such a powerful storm, meteorologists said. Trees, already stressed by dry conditions, still have their leaves, which makes them more likely to fall when strong winds blow.

Crews working to restore power were taxed by the storm's breadth. 

Falling trees and branches also injured four people during a triathalon at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. All four were said to be in good condition after being taken to an Army hospital

Falling trees and branches also injured four people during a triathalon at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. All four were said to be in good condition after being taken to an Army hospital

Crews working to restore power were stretched thin by numerous fallen trees. Above, a resident surveys damage after a tree and power line fell onto a car

Crews working to restore power were stretched thin by numerous fallen trees. Above, a resident surveys damage after a tree and power line fell onto a car

It tore trees out of the ground across a vast swatch of the Pacific Northwest, stretching manpower and equipment thin.

'If it just hits one part of our service area, you can maybe send crews down from another area. But this is a service-area-wide event,' said Christina Donegan, a spokeswoman for Puget Sound Energy, which reported 224,000 customers without power by early evening.

University of Washington's Seattle campus lost power around noon but was able to get it back up by 1pm, according to the Seattle Times. 

Other Seattle-area utilities — Seattle City Lights, Snohomish County Public Utility District and Tacoma Public Utilities — estimated more than 240,000 outages between them.

The Snohomish Public Utility District said on Twitter that 'customers should expect potentially long power outages.'

In Oregon, Portland General Electric reported more than 20,000 were without power. Pacific Power's worst outage affected about 3,500 people in Astoria.

Traffic across the area was disrupted, with officials saying there were too many roads closed to list. Above, residents in the Methow Valley remove debris from state Route 153

Traffic across the area was disrupted, with officials saying there were too many roads closed to list. Above, residents in the Methow Valley remove debris from state Route 153

 

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