A powerful storm wreaked havoc in Texas, causing the tragic loss of at least four lives. The storm unleashed destructive winds, which resulted in shattered windows, toppled trees, and left nearly a million people without electricity.
A powerful storm, the second to strike Houston this month, tore through southeastern Texas on Thursday. It unleashed wind gusts reaching speeds of up to 160 kmph (100mph), comparable to the destructive force of Hurricane Ike. This hurricane claimed the lives of nearly 200 individuals back in 2008.
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The National Weather Service issued a warning about the potential for “dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding” in eastern Texas and western Louisiana.
Almost a million residents in Houston and nearby areas were left in the dark as the storm flooded roads and brought down power lines and trees.
Residents were strongly advised to avoid driving on the roads due to their impassable conditions and the anticipated lack of functioning traffic lights throughout the night.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire, in an evening briefing, urged everyone to stay at home tonight and refrain from going to work tomorrow, unless they are essential workers. He emphasized the importance of staying home and taking care of our children during these unprecedented times.
“Our first responders will be tirelessly working 24/7.”
According to officials, the mayor has confirmed that four individuals lost their lives during the storm. Tragically, two of the fatalities resulted from falling trees, while another person was killed when a crane toppled over due to the powerful winds.
Numerous photographs and videos circulating on social media vividly depict the widespread destruction inflicted upon residential and commercial structures. According to the Associated Press, downtown hotels and office buildings endured severe damage, with countless shattered windows and shards of glass strewn across the streets below.
A video was shared by a guest at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Houston, showing water pouring inside the hotel after the windows were blown out by the strong wind.
According to Mr. Whitmire, downtown is in a state of disarray.
According to the mayor, first responders are currently working through a backlog of 911 calls, while the state is dispatching Department of Public Safety officers to ensure the area’s security.
The Houston Independent School District, which is the largest public school system in Texas, has announced the cancellation of classes for Friday.
According to poweroutage.us, around 855,000 customers in and around Harris County, including Houston, were left without electricity.
Emergency officials have described the damage to transmission lines in extended suburban areas as “catastrophic,” raising concerns about potential power disruptions lasting for several days. According to the AP, flights at Houston’s two major airports were temporarily grounded due to sustained winds exceeding 60 mph (96 kph) at Bush Intercontinental Airport.
The storm system passed by quickly, but Houston and the surrounding areas still had flood watches and warnings in effect. Large portions of Louisiana were also under severe thunderstorm warnings.
Texas is facing its second storm this month. In early May, the region was hit by severe storms, resulting in multiple high-water rescues, even from flooded homes’ rooftops.
In April, the area was brought to a halt by torrential rains, flooding, and tornadoes.
