Maryland tornado aftermath: Cleanup continues Thursday after storms down trees, cut power

GAITHERSBURG, Md. - Several were injured after severe weather, including tornadoes, swept through the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia regions on Wednesday night, leaving a path of downed trees, damaged homes, and power outages.

Preliminary Investigation Shows Possible EF0, EF1 Storms

During an update Thursday afternoon, National Weather Service officials said that their preliminary investigation has revealed winds of up to 105 mph present Wednesday when storms rolled across the region. 

If those preliminary findings are confirmed, the tornadoes that struck outside of Washington, D.C. would fall between an EF0 and an EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale – the scale used to rate tornadoes based on estimated wind speeds and related damage.

Survey teams are still out canvassing the area and investigating the damage. Officials are hopeful that more information will be available later this evening.

4 NWS Survey Teams Investigating Storms

The US National Weather Service Baltimore/Washington says they are sending out four different survey teams on Thursday to investigate damage across nine counties in parts of West Virginia, Maryland, and Virginia.

This comes in the aftermath of severe weather that rocked the Washington, D.C. region on Wednesday, causing widespread destruction.

Tree smashes into home in Gaithersburg; schools stay open amid cleanup

Debris was scattered across the roadway along Holly Road in Gaithersburg after a tree crashed into a home during Wednesday night's severe storms.

FOX 5’s Taylor Grenda was in the area where residents were cleaning up the mess left behind. Schools remained open Thursday amid the cleanup. Grenda says another round of showers and thunderstorms is expected Thursday with heavy rain and severe weather possible once again.

The National Weather Service has these tips for what to do in the aftermath of a tornado strike:

Stay Informed: Continue to listen to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio to stay updated about tornado watches and warnings. Multiple rounds of thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes are possible during severe weather outbreaks.

Contact Your Family and Loved Ones: Let your family and close friends know that you're okay so they can help spread the word. Text messages or social media are more reliable forms of communication than phone calls.

Assess the Damage: After the threat for tornadoes has ended, check to see if your property has been damaged. When walking through storm damage, wear long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and sturdy shoes. Contact local authorities if you see power lines down. Stay out of damaged buildings. Be aware of insurance scammers if your property has been damaged.

Help Your Neighbor: If you come across people that are injured and you are properly trained, provide first aid to victims if needed until emergency response teams arrive.

"We Got Incredibly Lucky": Montgomery County cleans up

Officials say the Montgomery County emergency communications center received over 100 calls for service to over 80 different incidents Wednesday during the height of the storm that passed across the region.

We got incredibly lucky in Montgomery County, with two different tornadoes coming during the peak of rush hour, evening rush hour," said Dr. Earl Stoddard, Director of the Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security during a media update Thursday. "We were just very fortunate that the damage in Montgomery County was not substantially worse."

"We believe two. I mean, it could end up being more than two, but we think at least two in Montgomery County at this point," he said saying the storms tracked from west to east across the county.

He said one was believed to have moved from Poolesville into Germantown. Another, believed to be the smaller of the two, moved through Gaithersburg, across I-270, and into the Olney and Brookville areas. 

Stoddard said damage estimates will be in the millions and said he believed Montgomery County’s emergency alert warning system worked without any problems.

Stoddard said a number of personal injury crashes were reported Wednesday night but none required transport. He urged residents to use caution when cleaning up Thursday and said to report all downed wires.

Severe Thunderstorms Produced Funnel Clouds and Tornadoes

Local officials believe at least one of the tornadoes touched down in the communities of Poolesville and Germantown in Maryland. Power flashes were also reported along Interstate 270.

In Montgomery County Fire, emergency crews responded to reports of people trapped in Gaithersburg. Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson Pete Piringer said three structures collapsed in Gaithersburg trapping people inside. Piringer said the most significant damage happened when a large tree fell on a single-family house, leaving five people injured, including one with traumatic injuries. He said they were all transported to a hospital.

READ MORE: Tornado traps five in Gaithersburg home