Focus at Four: Acting Governor Dan Patrick on Tropical Storm Beryl impacts

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) - Acting Governor Dan Patrick joined News Three’s Karla Castillo Monday afternoon just before the worst of the storm passed through the Brazos Valley.

Patrick said that getting the word out on the risks of a storm of Beryl’s size was important.

“A lot of people say, okay, a tropical storm or a Category One as it made landfall, it’s not that big of a storm. And as I was saying yesterday if it hits you, it’s a big storm. It’s particularly when it’s a Category One with a lot of rain. And so we had a big surge. If you look at this storm, you know, Bryan College Station is about 150 miles off the coast, I think roughly. And so you would think that those winds would die down a little bit, but they didn’t,” he said.

Patrick mentioned contacting loved ones in Houston to make sure they’re holding up, especially if they don’t have power.

“Try and reach out to your friends and your family members in the greater Houston area and let them know that you know power is out for several million. It’s going to be a multi-day process to get the power back up to over 2 million people, and there 10 transmission lines,” he said.

Patrick mentioned those who work for his office and local counties and cities are doing everything they can to keep communication up.

“I believe communication is the key, particularly when you have an emergency that’s heading the way of citizens in different parts of the state. The tricky thing was that we didn’t know exactly where it would land. And of course, it kept moving east. Because of the media, we’re able to get that message out,” he said.

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