![A large tree branch fell on top of the English building at Palo Alto High School after storms swept through Palo Alto and the Bay Area earlier this month. This however, has not been an uncommon event recently. Paly sophomore Satoshi Isayama noted some of the precautions he saw people taking. “Some of my neighbors even cut smaller branches off to prevent further [storm] damage,” Isayama said.](https://verdemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Screenshot-2024-02-28-at-2.09.44-PM-1200x809.png)
Storms in February left thousands of Palo Alto residents without electricity, multiple homes damaged and some flooded streets.
Approximately 3,380 Palo Alto residents experienced power outages, according to a Palo Alto utility department report. In addition, some students have witnessed tree branches falling in their neighborhood.
Palo Alto High School sophomore Satoshi Isayama recalled the exact moment a tree branch fell outside his window.
“While I was studying, I heard a loud thud outside my house,” Isayama said. “I went outside and saw that a huge tree branch had fallen.”
In the storm’s wake, custodians placed caution tape around the eucalyptus tree just off just off Paly’s Quad. According to Assistant Principal Jerry Berkson, the tape, which has since been removed, was set in place to protect students from branches potentially falling.
“It was a safety hazard,” Berkson said. “Safety is our No. 1 priority here at Palo Alto High School.”