HOUSTON (AP) – Power outages could continue for weeks in some parts of Houston after thunderstorms with hurricane-force winds ripped through the city, knocking out power to about 1 million homes and businesses, officials say. announced on Friday.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, the county's top elected official, said at a news conference: “We're going to have to talk about this disaster in weeks, not days.”
Houston Mayor John Whitmire said the storm hit Harris County, which includes Houston, on Thursday, killing four people, possibly five. Officials warned residents that the cleanup would take time and that some residents should expect to be without electricity for several days, if not longer.
“It was so intense, so intense, so fast that most Houstonians didn't have time to get out of harm's way,” Whitmire said.
He said at least 2,500 traffic lights were down and warned looters that “police, including 50 state troopers, are on the scene to prevent looting.”
Widespread destruction brought much of Houston to a standstill as crews scrambled to restore power and remove uprooted trees and debris. Houston-area school districts canceled classes for more than 400,000 students and government offices were shut down. City officials have urged people to stay off roads, many of which are flooded, downed power lines and broken traffic lights.
Whitmire on Thursday called downtown “chaos” and urged people not to come to work Friday unless they are considered an essential worker.
Officials said at least two of the deaths were caused by falling trees and another when a crane overturned in strong winds. Whitmire said wind speeds reached 100 mph (160 kph) “with some twisters.” Whitmire said the powerful wind gusts were reminiscent of Hurricane Ike in 2008, which hit the city.
Rapper Trey the Truth, dressed in yellow, cuts off a fallen tree branch on top of his car in the aftermath of a severe thunderstorm that passed through downtown Houston on Thursday, May 16, 2024. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Hundreds of windows were broken in downtown hotels and office buildings, and glass littered the streets below. The city said some areas were impassable due to fallen trees, power lines and broken glass. The state had sent Department of Public Safety personnel to guard the area.
Fans enter Minute Maid Park during a severe thunderstorm before the Oakland Athletics vs. Houston Astros baseball game on Thursday, May 16, 2024, in Houston. (Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle, via AP)
By Friday, the storm had not ended. Scattered severe thunderstorms with tornadoes, large hail, and damaging winds are possible in the Gulf of Mexico. Heavy to excessive rain is possible from eastern Louisiana to central Alabama, according to the National Weather Service. Flood watches and warnings remained in place Friday for Houston and areas to the east.
Strong storms also hit neighboring Louisiana on Thursday, leaving more than 215,000 customers without power at its peak. More than 100,000 Entergy customers in the New Orleans, Louisiana area are without power. NOLA.com reported.
The Storm Prediction Center's website listed a tornado in Convent, Louisiana, about 55 miles (89 kilometers) from New Orleans, with multiple reports of downed trees and utility poles.
A suspected tornado struck the Romeville area of St. James Parish Thursday night, damaging some homes and toppling trees, but no injuries or deaths were reported, parish officials said Friday morning. he said in a social media post.
Tim Erickson, a meteorologist with the New Orleans and Baton Rouge National Weather Service, said the speed limit was 84 mph (135 kph) at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and 82 mph (132 kph) at New Orleans Lakefront Airport. ) A gust of wind blew.
Offices in New Orleans and Baton Rouge have issued flash flood warnings through Saturday.
Back in Houston, the retractable roof at Minute Maid Park, home of the Houston Astros, was closed due to the storm.However, the wind was very strong, so It rained on the stadium. Although puddles formed on the outfield warning track, the game against the Oakland Athletics was still played.
Damaged buildings are shown in the aftermath of a severe thunderstorm that passed through downtown Houston on Thursday, May 16, 2024. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Flights were temporarily suspended at Houston's two major airports. Sustained winds exceeding 60 mph (96 kph) were recorded at Busch Intercontinental Airport.
The number of power outages gradually improved Friday morning, dropping to about 773,000 in Texas and 97,000 in Louisiana, according to Poweroutage.us. At one point, there were more than 900,000 power outages in Texas.
CenterPoint Energy warned customers in the Houston area to “prepare for extended weather-related power outages.”
Problems have spread to the city's suburbs, with emergency officials in neighboring Montgomery County describing damage to power lines as “catastrophic” and warning that power could be affected for several days.
Severe storms hit the Houston area during the first week of Maywhich led to numerous high-water rescues, including one from the roof of a flooded home.
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This article has been updated to correct that Houston-area school districts, not just the Houston Independent School District, canceled classes on Friday.
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Bauman reported from Bellingham, Wash., and Weber from Los Angeles. Associated Press writers Sarah Brumfield in Silver City, Maryland, and Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire, contributed to this story.
