Nearly 2 million households in Texas remained without power on Wednesday, two days after Hurricane Beryl ravaged the state, leaving residents to swelter in the oppressive summer heat without air conditioning.
Beryl’s Destructive Impact
Beryl caused widespread damage upon making landfall on the U.S. Gulf Coast on Monday morning, resulting in extensive flooding and downed power lines throughout the Houston area. Tragically, at least 10 lives were lost.
The aftermath continued on Wednesday, with blame being assigned as state officials and utilities rushed to repair the damage and restore electricity to America’s fourth-largest city, known for its scorching temperatures and high humidity, making it one of the hottest urban centers in the U.S., according to AccuWeather.
Lingering Power Outages and Heatwave
As of Wednesday morning, 1.7 million customers in the region were still without power, according to poweroutage.us, down from a peak of 2.7 million on Monday. The local heat index was forecast to reach as high as 106°F (41°C).
The National Weather Service issued a warning: “Continued power outages and the lack of air conditioning will exacerbate the risk of heat-related illnesses.”
Clashes Between State and Federal Authorities
The slow pace of recovery led to disagreements between state and federal officials. President Joe Biden expressed difficulty in reaching Texas Governor Greg Abbott to formally request a disaster declaration to expedite federal aid.
Abbott, currently on an economic development trip in Asia, denied the claim and accused the president of misremembering events.
Authorities established cooling centers throughout the city to provide relief from the heat, as residents sought refuge in bars and coffee shops.
Personal Accounts of Hardship
Bernie Mooney, a 40-year-old finance worker, was forced to sleep in his car on Monday night due to the sweltering conditions in his home. “The heat was unbearable,” said Mooney. “The power went out at 5 a.m. on Monday.
As the day went on, the temperature inside reached 100°F (38°C). So I grabbed my duvet and pillows and headed out to my Tesla, using its ‘camp mode.'”
CenterPoint, Houston’s primary utility, faced criticism for the slow pace of power restoration. As of Wednesday morning, the company reported 1.4 million outages.
Calls for Accountability
“If they made mistakes beforehand, then that will be addressed,” stated Dan Patrick, acting governor while Abbott is abroad, referring to CenterPoint.
“Any notion that people were surprised by the storm’s potential impact on Houston is astonishing to me.”
CenterPoint’s Restoration Efforts
CenterPoint reported mobilizing nearly 12,000 frontline workers, including linemen and tree trimmers, from as far as Ohio and West Virginia, to aid in the restoration effort.
The company claimed to have restored power to over 850,000 customers by Wednesday morning and anticipated reaching 1 million by day’s end. “We want to assure customers that we are working as safely and quickly as possible to restore power,” CenterPoint stated. “This remains our top priority.”