Isabel Puts A Damper On D.C.

Hurricane Isabel blew through town and left a city known for its power largely in the dark Friday, closing the federal government for a second straight day and cutting off electricity to hundreds of thousands.

The Potomac River surged beyond its banks and flooded some shoreside streets in Washington and the colonial-era downtown in suburban Alexandria, Va.

"We've given out 11,000 sandbags and our supply has been exhausted," said Sarah Miller, an Alexandria city spokeswoman.

Travel by plane, train and automobile was an uncertain undertaking.

Trees and power lines knocked down by gusty winds littered many streets, and dozens of traffic lights were out.

Reagan National Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport and the region's Metro transit system, including trains and buses, shut down Thursday and remained closed early Friday. Two local rail services, Virginia Railway Express and Maryland Rail Commuter, or MARC, trains suspended commuter rail service Thursday and Friday.

Many schools remained closed for a second day, and about 350,000 federal workers were given another day off, with only workers essential to deal with emergencies expected to report.

"In light of concern for personal safety of federal employees and major disruptions to local transportation and power systems, the federal government will remain closed (Friday)," Scott Hatch, spokesman for the Office of Personnel and Management, said Thursday night.

President Bush went to the Camp David presidential retreat in the Maryland mountains. Congress met only briefly Thursday before shutting down, and neither house planned to meet Friday.

More than 120,000 customers lost power in the District of Columbia along with more than 525,000 in the Maryland and Virginia suburbs.

Members of the D.C. National Guard spent the night in their armory so they would be available with four-wheel drive vehicles and water tank trailers.

At Arlington National Cemetery, soldiers who guard the Tomb of the Unknowns were given - for the first time ever - permission to abandon their posts and seek shelter, Superintendent John Metzler said.

Despite the mess, Washington's emergency management agency had no reports of injuries or serious damage.

"It could have been so much worse, and we were prepared for it to be so much worse," said Alan Etter, D.C. Fire and EMS spokesman.

The U.S. Postal Service delivered mail Thursday and expected to make deliveries Friday.

Michael Davis, a deliveryman for Domino's Pizza in downtown Washington, said the storm meant a prosperous time for him. He was making seven or eight pizza runs an hour on his bicycle Thursday night and, despite his waterlogged jacket, having a pretty good time.

"Everybody's tipping a lot better," Davis said. "They've been very understanding about the fact that the pizza's not going to be on time."

By Sharon Theimer