At least seven people have died after Hurricane Beryl slammed into south-east Texas and Louisiana, knocking out power for nearly three million people.
Beryl made landfall on Monday morning as a category one hurricane but was later downgraded to a tropical depression. The storm brought destructive winds, up to 15 inches (38 cm) of rain, and “life-threatening” storm surges, according to officials.
More than 1,100 flights were canceled at Houston’s main airport on Monday, according to FlightAware.com. Approximately 2.6 million customers in Texas were without power as of Monday night, with some outages also reported in Louisiana, reported PowerOutage.us.
Casualties and Damage:
- In Texas’s Harris and Montgomery counties, seven fatalities were reported. In Harris County, a 53-year-old man died after winds downed power lines and knocked a tree onto his home, causing his roof to collapse.
- Maria Loredo, 73, also from Harris County, died after a tree crashed through the roof of her home. Loredo was at home with her son, his wife, and her two grandchildren, ages two and seven, when the tree fell. Fortunately, no other family members were injured, according to CBS affiliate KHOU.
- One fatality was confirmed in neighboring Louisiana.
The storm had already caused significant damage and loss of life in the Caribbean, where at least ten deaths were reported.
Emergency Response: Emergency services and volunteers are working tirelessly to rescue those trapped in their homes and provide essential supplies to affected residents. Shelters have been established to accommodate displaced individuals and offer safety and basic amenities.
Utility companies are actively working to restore power, but the extensive damage to the power infrastructure means the process is slow. Community organizations and volunteers are stepping up to provide food, water, and emergency supplies to those in need.
As recovery efforts continue, the focus remains on restoring essential services, rebuilding infrastructure, and supporting the economic recovery of the affected areas. The devastation caused by Hurricane Beryl underscores the importance of disaster preparedness and community resilience in the face of natural disasters.