Houston, Texas – In the wake of a ferocious storm system that unleashed hurricane-force winds and torrential rains, Houston mourns as at least four lives are claimed. The devastating weather, which struck Thursday, has left a trail of destruction, ushering in life-threatening floods and widespread power outages across parts of the Southern United States.
According to Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña, preliminary reports suggest one casualty occurred when powerful winds toppled a crane, while two others succumbed to the fury of fallen trees.
The violent tempest battered Houston, shattering skyscraper windows, partially collapsing a nightclub, and tearing away a section of roofing from the downtown Hyatt Regency. Witness videos depict the chaos, with rain and debris showering the hotel lobby.
Mayor John Whitmire issued a stern warning, urging all non-essential workers to remain home as the city reels under the blackout. With city schools shuttered, debris, fallen trees, and downed power lines litter the streets. The downtown area resembles a war zone, strewn with glass from shattered windows.
Across Texas, nearly 1 million homes and businesses plunged into darkness as power outages gripped the state. Louisiana, too, felt the brunt, with over 100,000 residents left without electricity.
As the Weather Prediction Center issued a rare Level 4 high-risk warning for excessive rainfall in parts of Texas and western Louisiana, the peril escalated. More than 600,000 people found themselves within the high-risk zone, facing imminent danger from relentless downpours.
In Bryan, a city northwest of Houston, water rescues became imperative as major flooding engulfed the area. Police reported assisting around 20 drivers trapped in rising waters.
The severity of this storm underscores a disturbing trend. According to the WPC, high-risk days, like this one, though infrequent, contribute significantly to flood-related fatalities and damages in the United States. The increasing frequency of such extreme weather events reflects the ominous influence of human-induced climate change.
With rainfall totals expected to range from 2 to 6 inches across Texas to Georgia by Saturday morning, and isolated areas facing the prospect of receiving 8 inches or more, the situation remains dire. The unrelenting deluge compounds the misery for Texas and Louisiana, which have endured weeks of incessant rainfall, saturating the ground and swelling rivers to dangerous levels.
As the region braces for further onslaught, the WPC warns that the already drenched soil offers little respite, with flash flooding likely to commence swiftly upon the onset of heavy rainfall.
