Hurricane Beryl Wreaks Havoc in Texas: Massive Power Outages, Flooding, and Travel Disruptions

Hurricane Beryl, which made landfall near Matagorda, Texas, early Monday morning as a Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 80 mph, has caused widespread disruption and damage across the state. The storm has since weakened to a tropical storm as it moves inland, but continues to pose significant threats.The impact of Beryl has been severe, with power outages affecting over 1.8 million customers in Texas. The hardest-hit counties include Galveston, Brazoria, and Montgomery, where more than 100,000 homes are without electricity. The storm has also caused extensive flooding, with streets blocked and residents sharing images of horizontal rain and dangerous storm surges on social media.Transportation has been significantly disrupted, with over 1,000 flights canceled at Houston’s airports. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has warned of life-threatening storm surges, damaging winds, and flash flooding in southeastern Texas. A tornado warning has been issued for some areas, including Houston, home to 2.3 million people.Local authorities, including Houston Mayor John Whitmire, have urged residents to take the storm seriously and be prepared for possible evacuations. The NHC predicts that Beryl will continue to weaken as it moves inland, likely becoming a tropical depression by Tuesday.Before reaching Texas, Beryl had already caused significant destruction and at least 11 deaths in the Caribbean and Mexico. Scientists note that climate change, which leads to warmer ocean temperatures, may be contributing to the increasing intensity of such storms.

Key points

• Hurricane Beryl made landfall in Texas as a Category 1 hurricane, causing widespread power outages affecting over 1.

8 million customers.

• The storm has weakened to a tropical storm but continues to pose significant threats of flash flooding and tornadoes.
• Over 1,000 flights have been canceled, and authorities have issued warnings for residents to take precautions.
• Scientists suggest climate change may be contributing to the increasing intensity of such storms.

Contradictions👾There are varying reports on the number of power outages, ranging from 160,000 to over 1.

8 million.

This discrepancy might be due to different reporting times or sources.