Hundreds of thousands of Texans are still without power after storms unleash hurricane-force winds

Severe Storms Leave Thousands Without Power in Texas

Hundreds of thousands of Texans are currently without power and could remain in the dark for several days following intense and deadly storms that swept through the state on Tuesday and over the holiday weekend. These storms have caused significant damage to homes and businesses, leaving the affected communities to grapple with the aftermath. The hot weather further compounds the challenges faced by residents. As of Wednesday morning, more than 450,000 utility customers in Texas, including over 200,000 in Dallas County alone, were without power, according to PowerOutage.us.

The cities of Houston and Dallas were particularly hard-hit, experiencing hurricane-force winds that flooded roads, uprooted trees, and damaged power lines and buildings. Tragically, a 16-year-old working in an under-construction home in Magnolia, Texas, was killed when the winds caused the collapse of the structure. Since Saturday, at least eight people have lost their lives due to severe weather in the state.

This recent bout of severe weather is part of a series of storms that have relentlessly battered Texas in recent weeks. The frequency of these storms has left residents with little time to recover before the next one arrives at their doorstep. While the summer-like heat is expected to ease across Texas this week, those without power or reliable means of cooling down still face the risk of dangerous heat stroke or heat exhaustion. Temperatures in eastern Texas on Wednesday are predicted to range from the mid-80s to low 90s, according to the National Weather Service.

Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins has warned residents to prepare for an extended period without power as the local utility company, Oncor, reported extensive damage to its infrastructure. Photos shared by Oncor reveal mangled electricity poles, twisted power lines, and massive trees toppled by the winds. The power outages also affected primary runoff elections in Dallas County, with more than a third of polling locations experiencing darkness.

Authorities in Dallas County have advised people to check on their friends, family, and neighbors, especially the elderly. They also cautioned against moving debris, as hidden downed power lines could still be energized and pose a danger. Local residents, such as Esmeralda Martinez of Carrollton, are now sifting through the remains of their homes, which have been reduced to piles of debris and damaged by the storm. Martinez and her family sought shelter in a hallway as the storm tore off their roof, causing damage throughout the entire house and soaking their belongings. Meanwhile, across the street, Javon Holloway and his grandmother are grateful that their home was spared from more severe damage and that no one was harmed.

The storms continued to move across north and central Texas on Tuesday night and are projected to last through Wednesday morning, according to the National Weather Service in Fort Worth. After a brief respite, another round of powerful storms is expected to return to the same area on Thursday evening, bringing with it a threat of large hail, damaging winds, and localized flooding to the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Houston's Ongoing Recovery Hindered by New Storm Damage

Residents in the Houston area are facing a sense of déjà vu as they assess the fresh wave of damage caused by Tuesday's storms, just two weeks after a derecho and a tornado wreaked havoc in the city, resulting in multiple fatalities and leaving nearly 1 million homes and businesses without power. While 99% of the previous outages had been restored as of last week, more than 300,000 homes and businesses in the Houston area lost power in the recent storms, according to regional utility CenterPoint Energy. However, the majority of CenterPoint's customers had their power restored by Wednesday morning.

These new severe weather conditions have hampered the ongoing recovery efforts from the mid-May storm, which left streets filled with trees and debris, shattered windows in skyscrapers, and damaged buildings. The damage from the previous storm had not yet been fully repaired when Tuesday's storms struck, scattering debris that had been collected off the streets and causing broken window glass to once again rain down on Downtown Houston.

The situation is being closely monitored by local authorities and utility companies as they work to restore power and assist affected communities. The road to recovery may be challenging, but the resilience and support of the Texan people will undoubtedly prevail.