Death toll rises to 8 after severe storms hit the Houston area (PHOTOS)
The death toll continues to rise after severe storms in Houston. Winds and heavy rain wreaked havoc early this week.
Posted on 22/05/2024 at 15:11
- Severe storms in Houston wreak havoc.
- The death toll continues to rise.
- Hundreds of thousands are still without power.
Houston, Texas continues to recover from the disaster left by a brutal storm that plunged the city into chaos.
Gradually, things are returning to normal, although there are still thousands of people without electricity.
Additionally, the lack of power is also affecting hundreds of traffic lights that are still not working, causing another nightmare for motorists.
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Death toll rises after severe storms in Houston
The official number of fatalities reported by the authorities in Harris County rose on Monday, May 20, 2024, to eight people.
According to the Houston Fire Department (HFD), one man died of carbon monoxide poisoning in his home from a generator. During the storm, a mother of four went out to move her car and was tragically killed when a large oak tree fell on her.
Another woman was in her mobile home in the Cypress neighborhood when lightning struck, igniting a fire from which she could not escape.
These are three of the eight reported cases in the Houston metropolitan area. The names of the victims have not been disclosed.
Hundreds of thousands are still without electricity
The skies have cleared and there is no sign of another round of severe storms in Houston, Texas. But there is still another very serious problem.
CenterPoint Energy, which provides electric service in Houston, reported that it still has 200,000 customers without service.
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), temperatures will rise above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius).
Such an increase in heat puts hundreds of thousands of people who do not have electricity to cool their homes at risk.
‘Exclusion zone’ declared in downtown Houston because of tornado damage
The brutal storm, including a tornado, that hit Houston last Thursday, May 16, 2024, caused great devastation.
John Whitmire, the mayor of Houston, announced on Monday, May 20, at a press conference that the downtown area is an «exclusion zone.»
Several streets downtown are closed to the public because they contain broken glass and doors, particularly glass, and it is a risk area.
Officiers from the Texas Department of Public Safety (TxDPS) have joined the patrol in the area to prevent looting.
Thousands of schools are closed in Houston
The lives of students in northwest Houston have been disrupted following the storm, as many schools have closed.
The Cy-Fair Independent School District (CFISD) announced that there will be no school on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, and possibly for more days.
At least 19 school sites in the CFISD have no electricity due to storm damage and it is unclear when they will have power again.
Officers from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) patrol near schools to prevent theft or vandalism.
Hispanic families face adversity after severe storms in Houston
Noé Salazar, a 43-year-old Mexican, sent his wife Elvia and their three children to his sister’s house where there is electricity after the brutal storm.
«I have been alone at home since Thursday, without electricity, I had to throw away a lot of food and the children’s milk,» says the professional mechanic as he watched the torrential rain arrive.
Salazar does not want to leave to for fear of thieves after dark. Therefore, he bolts the doors and sleeps with his gun by his side.
«It cost us a lot to get our house and our things… I guess this is what I have to do,» details Salazar, a resident of Cy Fair in Houston.
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