High winds caused a falling tree to strike and kill a woman, Spokane police said.
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Debris from a fallen tree is pictured during a strong storm in Seattle, Washington November 17, 2015.
Near Seattle, a large tree fell on a vehicle, killing a man in his 20s as the worst of the weather began to move in, the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office said.
One of the victims was a motorist who died in Monroe, a city in Snohomish County, according to Merlin Halverson, the country’s fire chief.
At least three people were confirmed to have died in storm-related accidents, authorities in Washington state said.
Avista crews say they have been working around the clock since near-hurricane force winds hit the Inland Northwest yesterday leaving approximately 180,000 customers without power at the height of the storm.
In OR, thousands were without power in the greater Portland area and a flood watch was issued for the northern OR coast through Wednesday.
The National Weather Service has forecast rain and wind for much of the week. Ferry trips were delayed or canceled in several areas and Sound Transit trains were delayed due to trees and water on the tracks throughout the system.
The Associated Press is reporting multiple power outages throughout the region, including 5,000 in West Seattle and 11,000 across Puget Sound Energy.
The utility said customers could be without power for up to five days as crews worked to restore services.
A windblown tree snapped off and struck a King County Metro Bus in the north Seattle suburb of Shoreline, sending the driver to the hospital with neck and back pain. Also shut down were Gonzaga, Whitworth, Washington State-Spokane and Eastern Washington universities. Spokane worldwide Airport reported a top wind speed of 71 miles per hour. News reports say more than 100,000 people were still without power on Wednesday.
The strong winds and extended downpour caused fewer problems in OR, but roughly 7,000 Portland General Electric customers remained without power in the Portland area.
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Around the country Tuesday, a powerful storm dumped heavy snow on parts of Colorado while bringing the threat of tornadoes to millions in central and southern states.
