Washington State : Two people were hurt and thousands of people in Western Washington were without power when a strong windstorm blew through on Saturday.

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Washington State : Two people were hurt and thousands of people in Western Washington were without power when a strong windstorm blew through on Saturday.

2 hurt, thousands lose power due to windstorm

by KING 5 News and Associated Press

Posted on November 2, 2013 at 9:45 AM

Updated today at 1:59 PM

SEATTLE -
A 48-year-old Granite Falls man was seriously injured when a tree fell on his car on SR 203 and a 2-year-old was hurt when a branch fell from a tree at Roosevelt Way NE and NE 42nd street in Seattle.

2 hurt, thousands lose power due to windstorm

Credit: Martin Tuip

The only road in and out of Ernie's Grove near Snoqualmie was blocked by a tree hanging over live power lines.

The WSDOT closed the SR 520 floating bridge for two hours because of high winds and waves.
Brad Husick lives down the street from the bridge. He said he could hear the bridge creaking.

Credit: WSP

"I've lived here 12 years, and these are some of the highest waves I've seen,” he said.
Troopers said as many as 50 cars were abandoned on the westbound lanes. Troopers on foot escorted the people back to their cars.
The Department of Transportation said criteria for closing the bridge to traffic and opening the draw span is 50 mph gusts sustained for 15 minutes. When a 40 mph gust is sustained for one minute, a warning alarm calls crews to the bridge for inspection and monitoring.
DOT says they make every attempt to reduce disruption to drivers but in an emergency they have to close the bridge quickly.
The last time the 520 bridge was closed for wind and waves was Dec. 14, 2006.
I-90 remained open on Saturday. Although it had waves crashing over it, it is a much bigger structure. The last time it was closed was the Inauguration Day storm of 1993.
Thousands without power

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