Thunderstorms cause damage in the DC area

Washington
CNN
—

Severe thunderstorms caused damage across the Washington DC region on Saturday, downing trees and power lines and disrupting service on parts of the metro rail system.

DC Fire EMS said on its Twitter account that it is responding to multiple emergency calls for trees and downed wires, prioritizing calls for trees on vehicles or structural damage.

The agency also said crews are responding to a vessel taking on water in the Potomac River and boats drifting in the Georgetown area.

Across the country, more than 100 million people are under heat alerts, according to the National Weather Service. Most expire on Saturday night.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Agency has suspended service on part of the Red Line due to a fallen tree, while other stations are being bypassed due to power outages, according to its Twitter feed.

The area’s utility provider, Pepco, reports about 64,000 power outages on its website.

In nearby Arlington County, Virginia, the fire department said on Twitter it was experiencing “significant increase in call volume” and responses would be delayed.

The National Weather Service had issued a severe thunderstorm warning for parts of the area and warned of 80 mph winds.