A powerful wind-swept storm knocked down more than 30 trees across the Santa Clarita Valley Friday, falling on at least two vehicles, injuring one, pulling down electric wires and knocking out power to more than a thousand residents.
Friday’s storm pushed strong winds through the valley with wind gusts estimated between 50 and 80 miles per hour.
“It has been crazy for our land maintenance crews,” City of Santa Clarita spokeswoman Carrie Lujan told The Signal late Friday afternoon.
“We have had at least 30 trees reported down – one on a moving vehicle at McBean Parkway and Tournament Road. The driver was injured,” Lujan said.
“One fell on an apartment on Jakes Way, the balcony was destroyed,” she said.
Downed pine trees crashed across Drasin Drive in Canyon Country.
Lt. James Duran of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station referred to Friday traffic as “crazy,” reporting at least 20 downed trees.
Trees fell on electrical wires in at least two SCV locations, cutting power to more than 1000 residents by late afternoon.
Multiple power lines were reported down in Newhall and Canyon Country near Newhall Avenue, Walnut Street, Deeptree Avenue, Apple Street and Canerwell Street throughout Friday afternoon.
Shortly after 12:15 p.m., at least 1097 Southern California Edison customers in Newhall lost electricity when trees fell on power lines near the intersection of Cross Street and Market Street, according to outage updates posted on the Edison website.
More than a dozen other Edison customers in Newhall near Valle Del Oro, east of Newhall Avenue, also lost power due to “trees in equipment.”
Edison cautions SCV residents that if they see downed power lines to stay away from them and call 9-1-1.
661-287-5527
on Twitter @jamesarthurholt