Millions of Texas residents are without power after massive storms tore through the state on Thursday and toppled transmission towers.
The National Weather Service of Houston wrote on X:
“Severe thunderstorms moving across the Houston metro area have a history of producing damaging winds!”
“This destructive storm will contain wind gusts to 80 MPH! A tornado is possible!”
⚠️⚠️Severe thunderstorms moving across the Houston metro area have a history of producing damaging winds! This destructive storm will contain wind gusts to 80 MPH! A tornado is possible!
— NWS Houston (@NWSHouston) May 16, 2024
TAKE COVER NOW, away from windows. Head to the lowest floor.
Shocking footage of the toppled transmission towers was shared by users on X.
Pics from emergency management in #HarrisCounty show extensive damage to electrical infrastructure. Power out for nearly 1/3 of county and over 750k+ for all of #Texas and growing. #houston @CNN pic.twitter.com/5taRn2441f
— Derek Van Dam (@VanDamCNN) May 17, 2024
🚨#BREAKING: Nearly a Million are without Power as Powerful Storms Move through with 80-117 mph Winds Toppling large transmission power lines and Shattering skyscrapers Windows
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) May 17, 2024
📌#Houston | #Texas
Currently nearly 935,000 customers in Houston Texas are without power with the… pic.twitter.com/LiSbmRhiib
Over a million Texans are without power, mainly in the eastern part of the state, poweroutage.us reported.
AOL.com reported:
Thunderstorms have killed four people and knocked out power to nearly a million homes and businesses in southeast Texas.
“We have a storm with 100 mph winds, the equivalent of Hurricane Ike, considerable damage downtown,” said the mayor of Houston, John Whitmire.
Two deaths came from fallen trees and one from a crane blown over.
The storm has now moved on to neighbouring Louisiana with flood warnings in place for the Gulf Coast.
In Houston, traffic lights were out, office windows blown through and glass strewn across the city’s streets.
Residents were warned to stay inside by the mayor, speaking on Thursday evening.
“Stay at home tonight. Do not go to work tomorrow, unless you’re an essential worker.
“Stay home, take care of your children. Our first responders will be working around the clock.”
Flash flood and severe thunderstorm warnings were issued for multiple counties heading into the evening, according to Houston’s National Weather Service office.
The city was working through a backlog of emergency calls, most of them about gas leaks and downed wires, the city’s fire chief said.
