Washington – Thousands of U.S. flights were canceled or delayed and more than 1.1 million homes and businesses were without power as a devastating and strong storm, including tornadoes, hail and possible lightning strikes, passed through the eastern United States on Monday.

it started to rain Washington area Shortly after 5:00 p.m., the sky gradually turned an eerie dark gray, heralding the expected severe weather and blackouts.

The National Weather Service Beware of Tornadoes in Greater DC. The region will have a flood warning in place until 9 p.m. and into Tuesday morning.a Special statement of the Bureau of Meteorology “There is a significant threat from locally destructive hurricane-strength winds, as well as the potential for large hail, tornadoes and even severe tornadoes,” it warned.

The storm was so widespread that ten states, from Tennessee to New York, issued tornado watches and warnings. The National Weather Service said Monday afternoon that more than 29.5 million people were under tornado alert, with the largest alert area concentrated in the Washington-Baltimore area.

By late Monday afternoon, about 1,500 U.S. flights had been canceled and more than 7,000 delayed, according to air-tracking service FlightAware. More than a quarter of the cancellations were at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, which was recovering from the disruption caused by Sunday’s storm.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it was rerouting flights to avoid storms heading toward the East Coast and could begin suspending flights to and from the New York City area, Philadelphia, Washington, Charlotte and Atlanta. warned that it is high.

The White House postponed President Joe Biden’s retirement by 90 minutes 4 days trip It takes him to Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. The White House also said teachers First Lady Jill Biden, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mallorcas, school administrators, educators and educational technology providers across the country were expected to attend the new school year. also canceled its cybersecurity event. .

The Office of Human Resources announced Monday that all non-emergency workers must leave the office by 3 p.m., when federal offices close.

“This looks like one of the most impactful storms we’ve ever seen across the mid-Atlantic,” National Weather Service meteorologist Chris Strong said in a Facebook Live Briefing.

The timing of the storm was also a concern for forecasters. Expected to hit major populated areas in the late afternoon and early evening, federal workers were sent home early to avoid driving in the wind, hail and tornadoes.

Residents strongly advised: “Evacuate to a sturdy shelter. Stay at home or at work.”

By evening, more than 1.1 million people had died across Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia and Virginia. A customer said the power went out. blackout.us. The Knoxville Public Works Commission tweeted that the damage across the Tennessee service area was “extensive and extensive” and that repairs would likely take days.

A row of utility poles fell in Westminster, Maryland, WJLA-TV report.

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Collins reported from Columbia, South Carolina. Washington-based Associated Press correspondent Darlene Superville and Associated Press aviation correspondent David Koenig contributed to the report.