.jpeg "Severe storms kill at least 4 in Houston, cause widespread power outages")
Southeastern Texas faced a second wave of severe thunderstorms this month, bringing catastrophic consequences to the region on Thursday. The relentless storms resulted in at least four fatalities, shattered high-rise windows, uprooted trees, and left nearly 900,000 homes and businesses without power in the Houston area.
Mary Benton, chief of communications and senior advisor to the mayor, confirmed the four deaths to The Associated Press late Thursday evening. This tragic news underscores the severity of the storm's impact on the region.
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The National Weather Service (NWS) office in Houston issued urgent flash flood and severe thunderstorm warnings for multiple counties. They highlighted the potential for damaging winds and even tornadoes as the storms progressed into the evening.
Their message was clear: "Take shelter now if you’re in the path of this storm. Head to the lowest floor!" This warning, shared on the social platform X, emphasized the immediate danger posed by the storms.
Across the region, the storms wreaked havoc. Streets were flooded, and numerous trees and power lines were downed. KHOU-TV provided striking visuals of the damage, showing shattered windows on an office building in downtown Houston, with glass strewn across the street below. The chaos extended to transportation, with city officials urging residents to stay off the roads due to many being impassable and traffic lights being out.
The severe weather also had a significant impact on air travel. Flights at Houston's two major airports were grounded due to the hazardous conditions. Bush Intercontinental Airport recorded sustained winds exceeding 60 mph (96 kph), further highlighting the intensity of the storm.
Power outages were widespread. According to poweroutage.us, more than 870,000 customers in and around Harris County, which includes Houston and is home to over 4.7 million people, were left without electricity. This massive outage affected daily life and business operations across the region.
The Houston Independent School District took the precaution of canceling classes for Friday across all its 274 campuses. This decision aimed to ensure the safety of students and staff as the city dealt with the extensive damage and disruptions caused by the storms.
This latest bout of severe weather follows another major storm earlier in the month. During the first week of May, heavy storms hit the region, leading to numerous high-water rescues. Some residents had to be rescued from the rooftops of their flooded homes, highlighting the persistent vulnerability of the area to extreme weather events.