Five people died after storms ripped through the San Francisco Bay Area Tuesday.
Two people lost their lives in San Francisco to storm injuries, city officials said. Two separate incidents brought them to Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, where they succumbed to their injuries.
Three others died in Walnut Creek, San Mateo County and Oakland, where emergency crews removed part of a tree that fell and crushed someone sleeping in a tent near Lake Merritt, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
High winds toppled 700 trees and limbs across San Francisco, which also saw multiple reports of glass and debris falling from high-rise towers.
During the peak of the storm, roughly 35,000 customers lost power. The outage continued for over 8,000 in San Francisco who remained in the dark through Wednesday afternoon.
The city also saw power outages at several facilities, including the Public Works yard; Pier 94, where trailers for the unsheltered are located; and Zuckerberg hospital, which is running on backup generators to stay open with minimal impacts to patient services. Power is expected to be restored to the hospital and other facilities Wednesday.
Also on Tuesday, an overturned big rig temporarily closed all eastbound lanes on the Bay Bridge, ferry service was suspended because of choppy bay waters, and a loose barge damaged the Third Street Bridge linking the China Basin and Mission Bay neighborhoods.
At San Francisco International Airport, hundreds of flights were delayed for over four hours. Residents should expect residual transit impacts, including more flight delays and lack of cable car service until debris can be cleared.
San Francisco's 911 line saw more than 400% normal call volume at the height of the storm, resulting in longer-than-usual wait times, according to the Mayor's Office.
“We saw areas of significant damage, as well as dangerous conditions caused by falling glass and downed trees. I want to thank all the city workers who have been out taking care of San Francisco during and after this most recent storm,” Mayor London Breed said. “Tragically, two people lost their lives, which is a grave reminder of how serious and dangerous this storm became.”
Residents are reminded to keep 911 available for police, fire and life-or-death medical emergencies or downed power lines and gas leaks. To report fallen trees, flooding and other non-life-threatening storm issues, go to sf311.org, the 311 mobile app, or just dial 311 by phone. For updated forecasts, visit the National Weather Service. For information about how to stay safe and prepared for extreme weather and other emergencies, check out www.sf72.org.