At least two vehicles were hit by fallen trees, and an Amtrak train derailed in the East Bay after crashing into a tree. Here’s the latest.
Mar 21 2023 3:20pm PDT | Updated March 21, 2023 5:50 PM PDT
SAN FRANCISCO — Strong winds hit as predicted Tuesday, claiming one life, causing an Amtrak derailment, downing trees and cutting power to tens of thousands across the Bay Area. As of 2:30 p.m. PG&E reported 88,208 customers without power across all five divisions, with the vast majority affecting homes and businesses in the East Bay, South Bay and along the Peninsula.
That number rose to over 100,000 as of 4 p.m. as the peninsula more than doubled its outages. The South Bay and East Bay restored power to some customers, while outages in San Francisco hit 10,000. San Francisco tripled that number in an hour, and outages in the East Bay quadrupled.
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Storm-related deaths also occurred on the peninsula, where a tree fell on a van traveling along Alpine Road outside Portola Valley, killing the driver inside. According to The Mercury News, a photographer at the scene reported that the victim was driving a plumber’s vehicle.
In Napa County, a tree fell on a pickup truck traveling on Highway 29, completely blocking the road. Fortunately, the driver was not injured.
And in the East Bay, an Amtrak train crashed into a fallen tree half a mile east of Port Costa, causing a derailment. There were initially no reports of injuries.
Bay Area Power Outages (Tuesday at 5:00 p.m.)
- East Bay: 82,932 customers
- Peninsula: 43,489 customers
- San Francisco: 34,897 customers
- South Bay: 19,956 customers
- North Bay: 3,183 customers
PG&E said outage activity “increased significantly” in the early afternoon as crews responded to a cascade of reports of downed trees, branches and other debris. The utility said its crews are ready to deploy at full force Tuesday in coordination with the Emergency Operations Center. More than 20 helicopters from the fleet have been placed on standby to assist with aerial photography and other support if needed.
A wind warning remains in place through 9pm Tuesday, with sustained south-easterly winds of 25-35mph and gusts up to 50mph in many areas. According to the National Weather Service, the highest gust on Mount Umunhum reported in the afternoon was 78mph.
Officials are asking anyone who sees downed wires or wires to stay away and call 911 and then contact PG&E directly at 1-800-743-5002. Residents can also search for outages in their area using the online map or by calling 1-800-743-5000.
Here are some Storm memories from PG&E:
- PG&E encourages customers to have a plan, prepare for power outages, and most importantly, stay safe.
- Customers can find out about outages in their neighborhood through a variety of channels.
- Contact our Outage Information Hotline at 1-800-743-5002
- Customers can also log into their account through pge.com and opt-in to receive proactive outage alerts via email, SMS or phone.
- Never touch fallen power lines: If you see a fallen power line, assume it is live and extremely dangerous. Don’t touch it or try to move it – and keep children and animals away. Report broken power lines immediately by calling 911 and calling PG&E at 1-800-743-5002.
- Use flashlights, not candles: During a power outage, use battery-powered flashlights rather than candles due to the risk of fire. If you need to use candles, please keep them away from curtains, lampshades, animals and small children. Do not leave candles unattended.
- Have a spare phone handy: If you have a phone system that requires power to function, such as a cordless phone or an answering machine, plan to have a standard telephone or mobile phone ready as a backup.
- Have fresh drinking water, Ice: Freeze plastic containers filled with water to make blocks of ice to put in your fridge/freezer during a power outage to prevent food spoilage. Blue Ice from your picnic cooler also works well in the freezer.
- Secure outdoor furniture: Patio furniture, light garden structures and decorative lawn items should be secured as they can be blown away by high winds and damage to overhead power lines and property.
- Use Generators Safely: Customers with standby power generators should ensure they are properly installed by a licensed electrician in a well-ventilated area. Improperly installed generators pose a significant hazard to customers and crews working on power lines. If using portable generators, ensure they are in a well-ventilated area.
- Turn off appliances: If you experience a power outage, unplug or turn off all electrical appliances to avoid overloading circuits and risk of fire when power is restored. Just leave a single lamp on to alert you when power returns. Turn your devices back on one at a time as conditions return to normal.
- Clean Up Safely: After the storm has passed, make sure you clean up safely. Never touch fallen utilities and always call 8-1-1 at least two full business days before digging or visit 811express.com to have all underground utilities safely tagged.
