The US Great Plains and south-east regions are reeling from severe weather, with Texas once again bearing the brunt of the destruction. Widespread power outages have left nearly 650,000 buildings without electricity, with no clear end in sight. The situation is particularly dire in north Texas, where residents in Dallas and surrounding areas woke up without electricity on Tuesday morning following severe thunderstorms with hurricane-force winds.
Oncor, the region’s primary electric distribution company, is working tirelessly to restore power, with teams mobilizing as early as Tuesday morning. As of Wednesday, power had already been restored to around 340,000 customers, but Oncor anticipates that it may take until Friday evening or Saturday for power to be fully restored in harder-hit areas. The company is still assessing the damage to power lines, which could take anywhere from hours to days to repair.
The storms have had a devastating impact on local communities, with at least one person – a 16-year-old construction worker – killed in nearby Magnolia. In Houston, power outages have been widespread, with CenterPoint Energy reporting that it had restored power to around 437,500 customers by Wednesday. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo praised the tireless efforts of the utility crews, with 1,800 workers battling to restore power.
Texas TunderstromThe power outages come at a particularly inopportune time, with temperatures rising and putting vulnerable people at risk of heat exhaustion or even heatstroke. School districts across the state have cancelled classes for Wednesday, and residents are being urged to take precautions to stay safe. The National Weather Service is warning people to drink plenty of fluids, stay in air-conditioned rooms and avoid strenuous activities during the hottest part of the day.
In a statement, CenterPoint Energy urged customers to be patient as they work to complete repairs as safely and quickly as possible. Houston residents will be all too familiar with the effects of severe weather, having suffered a derecho – a long-lived storm with winds of up to 100mph – just two weeks ago. The city was left reeling, with seven people killed and thousands left without power.
As the situation continues to unfold, it’s clear that the impact of the severe weather will be felt for some time to come.