Deadly Houston storm causes widespread power outages, poses new heat risk - Times of India

Original source (on modern site) | Article images: [1]

NEW DELHI: Houston is working to clean up and restore power to thousands of residents after deadly storms claimed the lives of at least seven people. As the region begins the recovery process on Saturday, it will do so under a smog warning and rising temperatures across southern Texas. The national

weather service

in Houston has cautioned that with temperatures reaching around 90 degrees (32.2 C) this weekend, people should be aware of the symptoms of heat exhaustion and advised, "Don't overdo yourself during the cleanup process."

The warm weather is a concern in a region where more than half a million homes and businesses remain without electricity as of Saturday morning, a significant decrease from the nearly 1 million initially affected, according to PowerOutage.us.

The fierce storms on Thursday, with winds of up to 100 mph (161 kph), caused extensive damage, including blown-out windows in downtown Houston and a tornado touching down near the northwest suburb of Cypress.

Harris County

sheriff Ed Gonzalez reported three storm-related fatalities, including an 85-year-old woman whose home caught fire after being struck by lightning and a 60-year-old man who attempted to use his vehicle to power his oxygen tank. Houston mayor John Whitmire previously said that at least four people were killed in the city when the storms swept through Harris County.

Harris County judge Lina Hidalgo warned that it could take "weeks" for power to be restored in some areas due to multiple

transmission towers

being down. She urged patience and acknowledged the "horror stories of just terror and powerlessness" that residents experienced during the storm. The weather service also reported straight-line winds of up to 100 mph (161 kph) in the suburbs of Baytown and Galena Park.

The Houston health department announced plans to distribute 400 free portable air conditioners to area seniors, people with disabilities, and caregivers of disabled children. In addition to the heat, the Houston area has been warned about poor air quality over the weekend. To the east, heavy rainfall is possible in eastern Louisiana into central Alabama, with parts of Louisiana under a flash flood warning through Saturday.

The widespread destruction brought much of Houston to a standstill, with trees, debris, and shattered glass littering the streets and one building's brick wall ripped off. School districts in the Houston area canceled classes for more than 400,000 students on Friday, and government offices were closed. City officials urged people to avoid downtown and stay off roads, many of which were flooded or lined with downed power lines and malfunctioning traffic lights.

Mayor Whitmire warned that police, including state troopers sent to the area, were out in force to prevent looting. He acknowledged that the speed and intensity of the storm caught many off guard, saying, "Most Houstonians didn't have time to place themselves out of harms way."

Noelle Delgado, executive director of Houston pets alive, an animal rescue organization, arrived at the facility on Thursday night to find the dogs and cats uninjured but the awning ripped off, the sign mangled, and water leaking inside. She hoped to find foster homes for the animals, noting, "I could definitely tell that this storm was a little different. It felt terrifying."

Yesenia Guzman, who works at a restaurant in the Houston suburb of Katy, expressed concern about whether she would get paid with the power still out.

Mayor Whitmire signed a disaster declaration, paving the way for state and federal storm recovery assistance. President Joe Biden also issued a

disaster declaration

for seven counties in Texas, including Harris, over severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, and flooding since April 26, making federal funding available to affected individuals.

Emergency officials in neighboring Montgomery County described the damage to transmission lines as "catastrophic." High-voltage transmission towers that were torn apart and downed power lines pose a twofold challenge for the utility company, affecting both transmission and distribution systems, which power and energy expert Alexandria Von Meier called a rare occurrence.

The speed of repairs will depend on various factors, including the time required to assess the damage, equipment replacement, roadwork access issues, and workforce availability. Centerpoint Energy deployed 1,000 employees on Friday and requested an additional 5,000 line workers and vegetation professionals to assist in the recovery efforts.