Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker declared a state of emergency in the city following a severe thunderstorm that struck Philadelphia and surrounding areas Saturday evening, causing significant property damage and disruption of essential services.

Meteorologists explained that the storm was classified as a 'downburst' (or 'cold air downburst'), with wind speeds between 97 and 113 kilometers per hour, resulting in uprooted trees, downed power lines, and flooded streets.

Structural damage and evacuations: City officials added that the storm caused a building collapse in West Philadelphia and damaged several vehicles, as well as the roof of a housing complex owned by the Housing Authority. They noted that emergency teams successfully evacuated residents of the affected units and secured temporary accommodation in nearby hotels, with relief and debris removal operations ongoing.

Clarification on the storm's nature: The National Weather Service confirmed that the phenomenon was caused by straight-line winds and not a tornado. This comes amid a wave of extreme weather across the United States, including floods, wildfires, and severe heat waves.

It is worth noting that cleanup crews and city residents have begun large-scale cleaning operations to remove the storm's aftermath and restore essential services.