Houston, Texas – A powerful storm swept through the city in the early hours, leaving nearly a million residents without power and causing extensive damage. The storm’s ferocity, with wind gusts estimated between 80-117 mph, was likened to that of a hurricane.
Houston Texas: Close to a Million are without Power due to destructive winds in storm at 80-117 mp on 05-16-24@ABC13Houston @Mattlanza @NWSHouston @weatherchannel@TxStormChasers @spann #houwx #htx #TXWX #hounews #abc13 pic.twitter.com/hfU0mbUlXf
— Storm Chaser Houston (@StormChaserHTX) May 17, 2024
Houston Mayor John Whitmire said at a briefing, “We have a storm with 100 mph winds, the equivalent of Hurricane Ike, considerable damage downtown,” adding that the region may have been hit by tornadoes as well.
The storm’s impact was immediate and widespread. Power outages affected both homes and businesses, leaving nearly 935,000 customers without electricity. The city’s utility companies were inundated with calls as they scrambled to restore power. The high-speed winds also caused extensive damage to the city’s infrastructure. Large transmission power lines were toppled, causing further disruptions to the power supply.
The storm didn’t spare the city’s skyscrapers either. Windows in high-rise buildings were blown out, raining shards of glass onto the streets below. Trees were uprooted and fell over, causing additional damage to structures and cars. The storm also brought heavy rain, leading to flooding in multiple streets.
This was the window-busting, tree-toppling storm that blasted Houston.
📍 Mamajuana Cafe, downtown
🎥 Claudia Prats Sanchez pic.twitter.com/SoIp8YzvPM— VAL THOR (@CMDRVALTHOR) May 17, 2024
Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña reported that at least two of the fatalities were caused by fallen trees, and another was caused by a “crane that was blown over by the wind”.
In response to the crisis, the city’s agencies are working around the clock to clear debris and make conditions safer. Mayor Whitmire urged people to “stay at home,” noting that “There’s trees across roadways across Houston,” and “Glass all over the streets downtown, traffic lights are out”.
No words Houston@ABC13Houston @Mattlanza @weatherchannel@TxStormChasers @spann @StephanieAbrams @JeffLindner1 @JenReynaTV #houwx #htx #TXWX #hounews #abc13 #storms pic.twitter.com/sNjifOReWi
— Storm Chaser Houston (@StormChaserHTX) May 17, 2024
A representative from the utility company said, “We are working the larger outages and then moving toward those smaller ones, but very focused on getting everyone on,” and acknowledged the challenges posed by the extreme heat.
Mayor Whitmire also said, “I ask everyone to be patient, look out for your neighbors,” and noted that “It will take 24 hours for a lot of this power to be restored, some will require 48 hours”.
As the city grapples with the aftermath of the storm, the resilience of its residents is being tested. But Houstonians are no strangers to adversity, and the city is expected to bounce back from this crisis, just as it has done in the past.
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