国际英语新闻:High winds knock out power to thousands of homes in south California

LOS ANGELES, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Howling winds lasting two days blew through southern California, felling trees and knocking out power to thousands of households and businesses.

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said on its Twitter account that, until Saturday morning, its crew had restored power for over 40,000 customers since start of the gusty wind of up to 71 mph (120 kilometers per hour) Thursday night.

Local KABC TV reported that 13,000 households and businesses in south California were still without power, with the hardest hit area including Los Angeles downtown and Hollywood, where gusts took down a traffic light pole, snapping it at its base.

In Altadena, an outskirts city of Los Angeles, powerful winds brought down a massive 100-year-old pine tree early Saturday morning, crushing two parked cars. No one was injured and no homes were damaged in the accident.

Gusty conditions are expected to persist in southern California through Saturday.