Deadly Derecho Leaves Three Dead, 700,000 Powerless Across Central, Eastern US

A powerful derecho swept through the Ohio Valley and interior Northeast on Tuesday evening, producing destructive straight-line winds up to 80 mph and causing extensive damage, particularly in southeastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania. The storm resulted in at least three fatalities, including a man in Pittsburgh who was electrocuted by downed live wires, and led to widespread power outages affecting over 700,000 customers at its peak, most of them in Pennsylvania. Emergency services reported uprooted trees, torn-off roofs, and downed power lines, with Pittsburgh experiencing additional disruptions such as 911 outages. Restoration efforts are ongoing, with utility crews working around the clock and warning residents to avoid downed wires. Centre County, including State College, was especially hard hit, with tens of thousands still without electricity days after the storm. Officials have described the event as rare and severe, with meteorologists noting it could be a once-in-a-decade occurrence for some communities.