The remnants of Hurricane Beryl, which hit the southern United States, advanced inland on Tuesday with heavy rains, leaving at least six people dead in Texas and one in Louisiana, and without electricity to more than 3 million homes and businesses.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center forecast the storm’s center would move toward the Great Lakes in the coming days, spreading rain across Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, Ohio and Michigan.
Texas authorities warned it could take days to restore power. Houston, the fourth-largest U.S. city, was among the areas hardest hit by the storm when it made landfall early Monday with maximum sustained winds of around 80 mph.
Houston residents are now facing dangerous heat without power. A heat warning is in effect through Wednesday in the area, with temperatures expected to top 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Humidity would make the temperature feel like 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
As of Tuesday morning, PowerOutage.us reported that more than 2.3 million homes and businesses in Houston were without power. That number rose to 2.7 million on Monday.
“Houstonians need to know we’re working around the clock to keep them safe,” said Houston Mayor John Whitmire.
The White House said President Joe Biden expressed his condolences in a phone call Monday night with Whitmire and pledged support to the people of Texas in recovery efforts.
Biden also approved a major disaster declaration for Hurricane Beryl on Tuesday, which will allocate federal funds for victims and reconstruction.
In Photos | Beryl passes through Texas leaving behind severe flooding and destruction
Tropical Storm Beryl brought heavy rains and powerful winds along the Texas coast, knocking out power to more than 2 million homes and businesses and flooding streets with rapidly rising waters.
Airlines cancelled 1,300 flights and oil companies pulled crews from their platforms in the Gulf of Mexico.
Before reaching Texas, Beryl crossed the Caribbean and killed three people in Venezuela, three people in Grenada, three people in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and two people in Jamaica.
Beryl also hit Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula before crossing the Gulf of Mexico and heading toward Texas.
The storm set a record as the first to reach Category 5 strength during the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June to November.
[Con información de AP y Reuters]
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