Power outages could last for weeks in the Houston, Texas area of the USA after a destructive complex of storms tore through the area, killing at least four people and crumpling critical power infrastructure.
More than 900,000 homes and businesses lost power in Houston’s Harris County during the peak of the storm’s violent winds, and more than 650,000 remained in the dark Friday afternoon, according to PowerOutage.us.
“For some folks, the luckier ones, (power restoration) might be days, not hours. For many, many people, it’s going to be weeks and not days,” Harris County Judge Lina Hildago said in a Friday news briefing.
Hidalgo said the weeks-long restoration timeframe was for homes and businesses tied into the 10 steel power transmission towers downed in the state, seven of which were in Harris County.
It’s unclear which areas are tied into the transmission lines, she said.
It’s a troubling timeframe for power restoration, especially as high temperatures reach the 30s through the weekend and beyond.
At least four people died as the severe weather blasted through Houston, the mayor’s spokesperson Mary Benton told CNN.
Fallen trees appear to have caused two of the deaths, and a crane accident caused another, Houston Fire Department Chief Samuel Peña said in a news conference.
A possible fifth storm-related death is under investigation, Houston Mayor John Whitmire said on Friday.
Additional powerful, drenching storms could plague parts of the Gulf Coast on Friday.
Houston’s mayor advised residents to stay off the roads and stay at home because of widespread damage to the area.
“Many roads are impassable due to downed power lines, debris, and fallen trees,” Mayor Whitmire’s office said in a statement on Thursday evening.
The storm was so powerful it blew out the windows of buildings in downtown Houston, littering the area with glass as traffic lights went dark.
Shoppers at a Costco in Houston used their phones as the only source of light as they huddled inside the store when the power went out, with employees closing the doors to block out the rain and winds.
The violent storm conditions partially collapsed a nightclub and partially ripped roofing off the downtown Hyatt Regency, showering the hotel lobby with rain and debris, according to witness video.
CenterPoint Energy says its skyscraper in downtown Houston sustained damage from the storm, according to a spokesperson.
The Houston Independent School District announced campuses will be closed on Friday and reopen Monday “due to widespread damage across Houston.”