Hurricane Beryl leaves at least 8 dead and more than 2 million without electricity in the US; DETAILS

Hurricane Beryl hit Louisiana and Texas, causing eight deaths and power outages for over two million people. Officials urge caution as recovery efforts begin.

By Shovan Roy

Published on Jul 09, 2024 | 11:17 PM IST | 26.7K

Hurricane Beryl (Image via Getty Images)

Trigger warning: This article contains references to tragic deaths and natural disasters.

Louisiana and Texas were pelted by Hurricane Beryl on Monday, July 8, resulting in eight deaths and more than two million power outages.

Texas confirms deaths

During a press conference, Mayor John Whitmire of Houston verified these deaths. One man died as he got hit by a tree, while another person passed away during a fire caused by lightning. Another individual, Russell Richardson, aged fifty-four, who was an employee at the Houston Police Department, died when his car was drowned due to floodwaters.

A woman aged seventy-four died in Harris County after her roof caved in as a tree fell through it, while four other fatalities occurred within that same county. One man got killed by a fallen tree while riding on his tractor, plus two others were found dead inside a tent in forest lands.

Deaths reported in Louisiana

Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office confirmed that someone had died after trees fell on their homes in northeastern Benton, LA. This death brings the toll to several people who have succumbed to this storm's aftermath.

Government response and power outages

In light of this calamity, White House Deputy Communications Director Jennifer Molina tweeted yesterday how President Joe Biden made a phone call to Mayor Whitmire, where he offered condolences and said that Texans would get everything they needed for recovery.

The political leaders are counseling their people to avoid moving around with due regard to driving conditions that are dangerous because of downed power lines that can be found all over the place.

According to poweroutage.us, more than 2.3 million Texans are without electricity, just like parts of Arkansas and Louisiana. While it landed as a Category 1 hurricane, Beryl subsequently weakened into tropical depression status. However, there is still a flood watch covering Arkansas through Michigan, which has the potential for up to five inches of rainfall.

After all has been said and done, what remains is the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, which reminds us of the sheer force displayed by nature and the determination required for recovery.

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