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Power grid goes down for millions of Americans as Mother Nature reminds us all to get prepared

(NaturalNews) Mother Nature has a way of interrupting our lives with not-so-subtle reminders to pay attention to reality. Over the last 48 hours, a blistering heat wave has swept across nine U.S. states, causing the power grid to fail for millions of residents. Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell has declared a state of emergency. "Millions of people across nine states were reeling without power Saturday to deal with thermostat-popping temperatures after fierce thunderstorms pounded parts of the Midwest and Atlantic Seaboard," reports CNN. "In storm-affected areas, many people had no electricity to run fans, air-conditioning and refrigerators. Even in places where power was not disrupted, people with no air-conditioning were advised to spend the day in a library or a cooling center to avoid heat exhaustion." At the same time, a crushing, violent storm swept through Washington D.C., killing at least 10 more people and bringing down the power grid to millions more. "More than 3 million are without power -- and without air conditioning -- as crews work to clear downed tree limbs and restore electricity," reports CBS News. "Power outages were reported from Indiana to New Jersey, with the bulk of the service interruptions concentrated in the Mid-Atlantic region. Earlier Friday, the nation's capital reached 104 degrees -- topping a record of 101 set in 1934."