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East Coast Storm's Death Toll: 9

6 killed by falling trees in Virginia

By Kate Seamons,  Newser Staff

Posted Jun 30, 2012 11:49 AM CDT

(Newser) – The violent storms that battered the eastern US last night have taken a heavy toll: Authorities say at least nine people are dead. NBC Washington reports that Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell joined West Virginia in declaring a state of emergency this morning and confirmed that six people in his state were killed by falling trees. He also put the scope of the power outage into perspective, saying it was the largest non-hurricane outage in Virginia's history.

Two young cousins in New Jersey were killed when a tree fell on their tent while camping, and police in Maryland said a man was killed when a tree fell onto his car. Hundreds of thousands in Washington, DC, remain without power, with temperatures projected to top 100 degrees. The AP notes that Amtrak halted DC-to-Philly service this morning.

A downed tree and power lines closes a lane of traffic, in Springfield, Va., Saturday, June 30, 2012.
A downed tree and power lines closes a lane of traffic, in Springfield, Va., Saturday, June 30, 2012.   (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
A tree toppled by severe storms sits atop a car in Washington's Dupont Circle neighborhood on Saturday, June 30, 2012 in Washington.
A tree toppled by severe storms sits atop a car in Washington's Dupont Circle neighborhood on Saturday, June 30, 2012 in Washington.   (AP Photo/Jessica Gresko)
A downed tree blocks a sidewalk in northwest Washington on Saturday, June 30, 2012.
A downed tree blocks a sidewalk in northwest Washington on Saturday, June 30, 2012.   (AP Photo/Jessica Gresko)
A utility pole remains snapped in half caused by heavy winds from Friday nights passing storm, on June 30, 2012 in Huntington, Maryland.
A utility pole remains snapped in half caused by heavy winds from Friday nights passing storm, on June 30, 2012 in Huntington, Maryland.   (Getty Images)
Workers use a golf cart to carry branches from a tree that fell onto the 14th fairway at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md.
Workers use a golf cart to carry branches from a tree that fell onto the 14th fairway at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md.   (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
An uprooted tree caused damage to electrical lines and a home in the American University neighborhood of Washington, DC.
An uprooted tree caused damage to electrical lines and a home in the American University neighborhood of Washington, DC.   (Getty Images)
Dangling wires are marked with tape in the American University neighborhood of Washington, DC June 30, 2012.
Dangling wires are marked with tape in the American University neighborhood of Washington, DC June 30, 2012.   (Getty Images)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 3 comments
Scaramouche
Jun 30, 2012 1:18 PM CDT
People often forget how much sheer mass is bound up in a tree. If you see one swaying in a storm, then there's a lot of energy and inertia in play - far more than you can handle. So get out of the damn way.
B-Diddy
Jun 30, 2012 12:54 PM CDT
Stupidity! What the hell were the cousins doing camping in this sort of weather? Pure Stupidity !!!!!!!!!!!!
Fondue
Jun 30, 2012 12:44 PM CDT
Water: 9 Fire: 1
US

 
storm • Virginia • state of emergency • Washington, DC • East Coast • falling tree

 
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