Two people died when trees fell on homes, and a third died while driving to their job at Houston PD. CenterPoint has not announced a timeline for restoring power to 2.2 million customers.
Beryl brought heavy rain and strong winds to Houston on Monday morning, causing widespread power outages and at least three deaths, local officials said.
The storm made landfall near Matagorda around 4 a.m. as a Category 1 hurricane, with winds reaching 80 miles per hour. It was downgraded to a tropical storm by 10 a.m. as it moved north through Houston.
By mid-afternoon, the storm had largely left the metro area, but many bayous and roads were flooded. Over 2.2 million homes and businesses were still without power, according to CenterPoint Energy. At least two people died from fallen trees.
Meteorologist Eric Berger said the rain was ending from south to north and expected significant improvement in flooded areas by the evening.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo indicated that power outages, flooding, and road conditions were the most pressing issues. She said CenterPoint would provide restoration estimates on Tuesday, and shelters would open for affected residents.
Hidalgo urged people to stay home through Monday night due to hazards such as debris and high water.
In Humble, a 53-year-old man was killed when a tree fell on his home. In northwest Houston, a 74-year-old woman also died from a fallen tree. A third death was reported when a Houston PD employee was trapped in high water while driving to work.
First responders are assessing the storm damage to determine eligibility for federal support, with 7,000 crews coming to restore power. The heat is a major concern due to ongoing outages.
Several roads were flooded by 10:30 a.m., and strong winds caused 11 power transmission towers to fall. Nearly 50 high-water rescues were performed by Monday afternoon.
Rainfall totals exceeded 5 inches, with some areas in southern Harris County receiving over 9 inches. Over 1,000 flights were canceled at Bush Intercontinental and Hobby airports.
Healthcare facilities were impacted, with St. Luke’s Health-Brazosport Hospital losing power and transferring some patients. Most other hospitals remained open, though many clinics closed.
President Joe Biden received updates on the storm, and FEMA prepared resources in case they are needed. Some coastal cities called for voluntary evacuations and restricted beach camping.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick issued a disaster declaration for 121 counties. Beryl previously affected Mexico, killing 11 people in the Caribbean.
This is the 10th hurricane to hit Texas in July since 1851.