Houston Battles Heat and Power Outages After Deadly Storms
By Boniface Ihiasota, USA
Thousands of residents in the Houston area faced oppressive heat without power on Saturday following severe storms that left at least seven people dead, Excel Magazine International can report.
The National Weather Service (NWS) and local media reported widespread damage and ongoing recovery efforts.
The NWS predicted temperatures around 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32.2 degrees Celsius) and warned residents on the X social media platform about the risk of heat stroke.
They advised, “Don’t overdo yourself” as the cleanup from Thursday night’s storms continued.
The storms, which brought winds of up to 100 mph (161 kph), wreaked havoc across the region.
They damaged homes and buildings, downed power lines, and left more than 800,000 people without electricity, according to local media reports.
In the suburb of Cypress, a tornado touched down, shattering trees and windows and scattering debris. The impact was severe, with significant property damage reported.
As of Saturday morning, Excel Magazine International further gathered that more than 500,000 residents were still without power, according to PowerOutage.us, a website that tracks electricity outages across the United States.
In response to the devastation, President Joe Biden issued a major disaster declaration on Friday for seven Texas counties.
This declaration makes residents and businesses in the affected areas eligible for federal assistance.
Excel Magazine International reports that emergency services and utility crews are working tirelessly to restore power and clear debris.
Community centers have been set up to provide cooling stations and essential services for those impacted by the outages and the heat.
Local authorities continue to assess the full extent of the damage while urging residents to stay safe and follow heat advisories.
