Severe weather continues to wreak havoc in Texas, with authorities warning that power cuts could last for days as hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses remain disconnected from the power grid. The state was hit hard by deadly storms and tornadoes over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, resulting in at least 24 fatalities.
In a tragic incident, a teenager lost their life on Tuesday when a partly-built house collapsed in a storm on a construction site. The collapse was attributed to high winds, which also caused a secondary collapse that delayed rescue efforts.
The situation in Texas has been further exacerbated by hail, damaging wind, and flash flooding, with forecasters predicting continued severe weather in the region. Meanwhile, southern parts of the state and southern Florida are experiencing “anomalous heat,” with temperatures expected to rise in the southwest and parts of California.
Dallas County has declared a disaster following reports of flooded streets, downed trees, and power lines in the city. The Dallas Department of Transportation reported over 300 traffic lights out of service on Tuesday, leading to widespread travel disruption, including hundreds of flight cancellations at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.
Local officials have cautioned that power restoration could take time, with Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins stating, “This unfortunately will be a multi-day power outage situation.” Oncor, the local power company, aims to complete restoration by Friday evening, with harder hit areas seeing power restored by Saturday.
Despite efforts to restore power, about 300,000 customers in Texas were still without electricity as of Wednesday evening, according to Poweroutage.us. The death of a 16-year-old on the construction site serves as a tragic reminder of the dangers posed by severe weather.
As the US braces for a potentially “extraordinary” 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, experts point to record-high sea surface temperatures and shifting weather patterns as contributing factors. While there is no direct evidence linking climate change to an increase in hurricanes, it is believed to make the most powerful storms more likely and bring heavier rainfall.
