It may not be the end of days, but things are downright apocalyptic right now in Houston. Severe storms ravaged the Texas city, and beyond just property damage, sadly some lost their lives.
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According to USA Today, at least four people died in the storm. Storm reporter Collin Rugg reported that two of the people were a mother and a child. Two people died from falling trees, and one person perished when a construction crane toppled. Winds reached up to 80 miles per hour, tearing through windows like tissue paper. The storm damaged power transformers and pulled down trees.
In an emergency press conference, Houston Mayor John Whitmire told residents that the city was in recovery mode. He said, "We're in recovery mode." Whitmire also said that authorities were investigating reports of a fifth death. Storms continue to battle the Southeast. It's a sad day in an already chaotic spring. Severe storms have pummeled the Midwest and other states in the weeks prior. Nebraska saw historic tornadoes that threatened residents.
The Houston mayor urged residents to stay indoors and not to venture out. The city is experiencing wide-spread power outages, making traveling an increased hazard. Whitmire was concerned about the lack of traffic lights and potential for broken glass on roadways. No one wants to be stranded now.
Houston Gets Pummeled
"Downtown is a mess. It's dangerous due to the glass and the lack of traffic lights," he said. "So stay at home. I can't emphasize that, repeat that enough."
JUST IN: Apocalyptic scenes out of Houston, Texas as severe thunderstorms sweep through the city, demolishing buildings in the downtown area.
80 mph winds blew out windows in downtown Houston and knocked out power for 1 million residents.
Four people have reportedly been? pic.twitter.com/pwkemOcnKf
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) May 17, 2024
Houston Fire Chief Samuel Pen?a also warned for commuters to stay home. "Some areas are without any power, no light. It's hard to see as you're driving," he said. The fire chief has had his hands full. In particular, the emergency responders have been focused on downed power lines and also gas leaks. Gas leaks are a silent danger that can kill someone. "If you're smelling gas inside your home, it could be potentially hazardous. So please call 911 if there is a smell of gas, but do so outside of that building," he said.
There were more than 420,000 outages in the Houston area as of Friday morning. As someone who grew up on the Gulf Coast, my heart goes out to those affected. Spring storms are no joke, and can devastate communities. Follow proper safety guidelines and stay up to date with your current weather.
