Seattle windstorm injures seven people and damages utilities on January 29, 1958.

  • By David Wilma
  • Posted 10/25/2001
  • HistoryLink.org Essay 3624
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On January 29, 1958, a 63-mile-an-hour gale hits Seattle, injuring seven pedestrians and damaging utilities. It is the worst storm in the area since 1943.

On the afternoon of Wednesday, January 29, wind, accompanied by heavy rain lashed at Seattle. The wind was clocked at 63 mph with gusts of 135 mph recorded in southwest Washington. Four women pedestrians in downtown Seattle were cut when large store windows shattered. Many other windows were broken, but caused no injuries. Three other persons were hurt in falls and by falling debris.

Telephone and electrical service was interrupted all over Seattle, but West Seattle and Magnolia Bluff were particularly hard hit. Utility poles and trees toppled. Day-shift line crews stayed on the job through the night to restore service.


Sources:

"63-Mile Gale Batters Seattle Area; 7 Hurt," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, January 30, 1958, p. 1, 6; "Big Storm," Seattle City Light News, February 1958, p. 3.


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