Topline
Fully restoring power to millions of southeast Texas residents slammed by Tropical Storm Beryl will take days, state officials said Monday, after the region was slammed by strong winds and flooding from the season’s first hurricane.
Beryl caused several trees in Texas' southeast region to topple. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Key Facts
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who is Texas’ acting governor while Gov. Greg Abbott is in South Korea for an economic partnership meeting, said at a press conference nearly 2.7 million people are without power in Texas, and added the number “may grow for a while.”
Patrick said restoring power will be a “multiple-day process.”
At least three people have died since Beryl made landfall in Texas on Monday, with one death resulting from drowning and two others resulting from fallen trees, according to Patrick.
Patrick said ten transmission lines are down in the state, attributing the damage to incidents caused by trees or branches falling on power lines.
Utility service provider CenterPoint Energy is bringing 11,500 workers into Texas to help with restoration efforts, according to Patrick, who noted workers are being brought from other counties and states.
The National Weather Service is forecasting temperatures in the upper 80 degrees to lower 90 degrees, encouraging those without air conditioning or cooling measures to stay hydrated, wear loose-fitting clothing and avoid strenuous activities.
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Key Background
Tropical Storm Beryl formed into a hurricane more than one week ago, becoming the year’s first Atlantic hurricane and later intensifying into a Category 4 storm. Beryl surged through parts of Mexico and the Caribbean Islands, killing an estimated 11 people in the process. The hurricane was downgraded to a tropical storm upon landfall in Texas early Monday, but Beryl still managed to stir up damage and flooding as it moved through Galveston, Houston and surrounding areas. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has forecasted a significantly active hurricane season this year, predicting the development of 25 named storms and up to 13 hurricanes.
Further Reading
Beryl Weakens To Tropical Storm After Making Landfall Along Texas Coast (Forbes)