Cleanup efforts are underway in Maryland after several tornadoes ripped through the central part of the state on Wednesday. There were at least 14 reports of tornadoes in Maryland, and at one point, five tornado warnings were in effect at the same time.
WASHINGTON – Communities in Maryland outside Washington, D.C., are picking up the pieces after several tornadoes ripped through the area, leaving trails of damage and injuring many people following Wednesday’s severe weather.
Emergency officials said they believe at least one of the tornadoes touched down in the Maryland communities of Poolesville and Germantown.
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Significant damage was also reported in Gaithersburg, including a home that was damaged when a tree fell on it, injuring at least five people.
Trees and wires were also downed during the extreme weather, and numerous collapsed structures were reported in and around Gaithersburg.
In Baltimore County, there were reports and videos of a tornado crossing Interstate 95 near Interstate 195 in Arbutus, with numerous trees and power lines downed.
Severe thunderstorms produced funnel clouds and tornadoes outside Washington, D.C., in Maryland Wednesday evening.
Several homes were also reported damaged in the Middle River area.
A total of 13 tornadoes were reported in Maryland on Wednesday, and at one point, five tornado warnings were in effect at the same time.
The National Weather Service said at least one of the tornado warnings rose to the level of a particularly dangerous situation due to people witnessing the tornado.
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Maryland drivers found themselves in the middle of a tornado-predicted storm Wednesday during late rush hour outside the nation’s capital.
“Based on observer observations and camera images, it appears that the initial tornado passed just south of Poolesville before dissipating,” the NWS said. “Then, an additional tornado developed west of I-270 near Gaithersburg before tracking east.”
More than 13,000 power outages were reported across the Mid-Atlantic, with the highest concentration found in Maryland.
However, work to restore power began after conditions improved. According to PowerOutage.us, only a few thousand outages remained as of Thursday morning.
Several tornadoes were spotted on the north side of metro Washington Wednesday evening.
The NWS will now send teams to survey damage in hard-hit communities to determine how many tornadoes touched down and what their strengths were on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.
Severe weather events, including tornadoes, are not uncommon around Washington and the Mid-Atlantic. Barely a year ago, winds blowing at 130 km/h caused considerable damage in the metro.
