Tropical Storm Hanna Drenches Washington Region

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Sights and Sounds of Tropical Storm Hanna

Despite Tropical Storm Hanna's downpour, locals and tourists tried to go about their day in Washington, D.C. The situation was worse in the Huntington area of Fairfax County, where 114 homes were evacuated because of flooding.

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Despite heavy rainfall and flooding, Prince William officials said there were no injuries or power outages. "In two cases, people had to abandon their cars," said spokesperson Elizabeth Bahrens. But the two individuals did not need to be rescued. "We don't have people that are stranded and we have no immediate danger issues."

The storm claimed its first fatality in the Washington region just after noon when a southbound vehicle on Interstate 95 in the Calverton area of Prince George's County slid off the roadway and crashed into the highway median. A man driving the car died, but an infant survived the accident near the intersection of Powder Mill Road, Maryland State Police Sgt. J. Leichtman said.

"People are driving too fast for conditions," Leichtman said. "They need to slow down."

Prince George's County reported three dozen accidents with injuries, most of them on the county's major highways. Loudoun County reported nine. Officials across the region reported pooled water on roadways and dangerous driving conditions, particularly at high speeds.

Storm drains were overwhelmed in Prince William County, causing widespread flooding and road closures along several major arteries including Dale Boulevard, Route 1 and Nokesville Road.

In Montgomery County, Sligo Creek Parkway and Beach Drive were closed and au thorities closed access to parks along the river.

In the District, Rock Creek and its tributaries were brimming with water. Dalecarlia Parkway in Northwest D.C. was covered in about two feet of standing water, forcing some motorists to do a U-turn and find another way.

And in Virginia, residents and public safety officials reported flooded yards in Vienna, standing water on Route 123 and flooding on roadways near Accotink Creek in Fairfax County. Downed trees were also reported at Lorton and Furnace roads.

Still, residents across the region went about their business in spite of the storm -- and in some cases, because of it. Shoppers waited in 12-deep lines with loaded grocery carts at the Whole Foods in Silver Spring; the story was similar at the Safeway in McLean and other stores across the region.

Along the District's southwest waterfront a steady stream of customers approached the installations of seafood vendors even as the Potomac's water churned.

"I come here once or twice a month," Neta Williams, 28, after buying two pounds of shrimp. She said she was unconcerned about the weather. "I think it's going to blow over."

The National Weather Service had predicted that Hanna could bring as much as eight inches of rain to the region, and some spots came remarkably close.