In Houston, the fourth largest city in the United States, an “exceptional storm” resulted in the deaths of four individuals, as announced by the mayor. This severe weather event also led to significant property damage, extensive power outages, and numerous fallen trees.
“Regrettably, we have four casualties,” John Whitmire, the mayor of this Texas city, reported to the local Fox 26 television station.
He noted that while the exact causes of these deaths remain unclear, they could have resulted from incidents such as falling trees or individuals getting trapped in their vehicles.
He elaborated, “Office buildings in the city center sustained severe damage… Over 800,000 families lost access to electricity,” characterizing the storm as “unprecedented.”
The tempest, bringing with it forceful winds and heavy rainfall, resulted in power outages for thousands of homes and businesses throughout the Houston area.
🇺🇸 | DESASTRE
— UHN PLUS (@UHN_Plus) May 17, 2024
Ayer, una serie de fuertes tormentas arrasaron con el área metropolitana de Houston, Texas, causando serios daños a varios edificios en el centro.
Vientos de 130 km/h rompieron ventanas y dejaron sin electricidad a 1 millón de residentes, resultando en cuatro… pic.twitter.com/n6sF5UxkK7
City officials have urged residents to remain indoors and avoid using the roads this Friday due to extensive damage and debris from the recent storm. They have also requested that only essential workers report to their jobs, as businesses in the city center will be shut down.
In this city, home to 2.4 million residents, schools will remain closed on Friday.
Images aired on local TV and shared across social media depicted the dramatic scene of trees and electric poles toppling, alongside the shattering of building windows, all under the violent impact of winds that surged to speeds of 160 kilometers per hour.
