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After making landfall in the United States as a Category 1 hurricane on the coast of Matagorda, Texas at 4am CDT Monday morning, Beryl has now weakened to a Tropical Storm and is now traversing inland across eastern Texas.
Tropical storm Beryl was downgraded from a Category 1 hurricane after it started to travel towards Houston throughout the morning, causing millions of Texan customers to lose power within hours of Beryl arriving at the coast.
Officials have confirmed two people have died in and around Houston, Texas after trees came down on both their houses in separate incidents.
The National Hurricane Center has warned of heavy rainfall, strong winds and life-threatening storm surge to batter areas of Texas today.
More than a million people in Texas were placed under a hurricane warning, with Acting Texas Governor Dan Patrick declaring 120 counties to be disaster areas ahead of the storm and warned Beryl “will be a deadly storm”.
School systems, airports and major oil shipping operations have been suspended and will remain closed for the day on Monday.
Beryl has already left a trail of destruction as a Category 5 hurricane through Mexico and the Caribbean.
Key Points
- Two dead in Texas after trees fallen onto houses
- Beryl now a Tropical Storm
- Hurricane Beryl has made landfall in Texas
- Power outages, trees downed and flooding reported in Texas
- Heavy rainfall battering areas of Texas
Beryl clean-up could be just as dangerous as the storm itself, agencies warn
Beryl is raging through Texas and has caused power outages for millions of customers.
Agencies warn of carbon monoxide poisoning as a result of using back-up generators.
The National Hurricane Center also advised being cautious around downed powerlines and flooding.
The center wrote: “Remember, historically almost half of all lives lost during a hurricane are AFTER it passes.”
Kelly Rissman8 July 2024 21:20 1720468664Beryl claims two lives in Texas
A 53-year-old man and a 74-year-old woman died after trees fell on their homes in Texas as Beryl pummels the state.
A granchild called 911 to report that a tree had fallen through the grandmother’s roof of her home in Harris County, according to the Harris County Constable Precinct 4. An investigation is underway.
Also on Monday morning, an unnamed 53-year-old man was reportedly sitting in his house in Humble, Texas, with his family when an oak tree fell on the roof and hit the rafters, causing the structure to fall on the man, authorities said. His wife and children are unharmed.
The tragedies come as Beryl’s powerful winds and flash floods continue to tear apart Texas. More than 2 million in the state are without power.
Winds in eastern Texas are whipping at up to 81mph, according to the National Hurricane Center, which warned of “very hazardous conditions” in the area.
Kelly Rissman8 July 2024 20:57 1720467930WATCH: Texas residents prepare for Hurricane Beryl
Beryl continues to rampage southeastern Texas
Kelly Rissman8 July 2024 20:30 1720465230Hurricane Beryl brings severe weather
One person dead in Texas after tree falls on home
A 53-year-old was killed during Hurricane Beryl after a tree fell on his home outside of Houston, authorities said.
Authorities in Harris County, Texas, said the unnamed man died after getting trapped under the debris, according to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez on Monday morning.
The 53-year-old man was reportedly sitting in his house along the 20900 block of Heather Grove Court in Kings River Village of Humble, Texas, with his family and riding out the storm. An oak tree fell on the roof and hit the rafters, causing the structure to fall on the man, the sheriff said.
His wife and children are unharmed.
Gonzalez said the fire department was on the scene, and he was trying to make it to the home.
Beryl slammed into Texas on Monday morning after causing havoc throughout the Caribbean. The storm brought gusts of upward of 100 mph and a dangerous storm surge to the Lone Star state. Videos and photos on social media showed winds tearing into homes and uprooting trees.
Read the full story...
Hurricane Beryl updates: One dead in Texas after tree falls on home
The 53-year-old man was in his house ‘riding out the storm’ with his family when disaster struck
Kelly Rissman8 July 2024 19:45 1720463430Millions without power in Houston
More than 2 million customers are without power in the Houston area as Beryl’s eye heads toward the state’s largest city.
High winds, flooded roads, and toppled trees have led to downed lines and power outages.
Electric company CenterPoint Energy warned locals to stay away from power lines: “If you see a downed line, assume it is energized and stay at least 35 feet away.”
The company also advised to not stand in or drive through flood waters “as they can potentially carry an electrical current from downed power lines.”
Kelly Rissman8 July 2024 19:30 1720462530A meteorologist warned that Beryl took the ‘worst possible track’ as the eye of the storm heads toward Houston
Kelly Rissman8 July 2024 19:15 1720461288Beryl brings ‘damaging wind gusts’ and ‘life-threatening’ storm surge to Texas
Beryl is barrelling into Texas.
Residents on the upper Texas Gulf Coast and in the eastern part of the state should prepare for flash flooding today into tonight, while harsh wind gusts could hit Houston some this afternoon.
Officials also warned that Texas beachgoers be cautious of rip currents due to the threatening conditions.
Beryl is certainly not one of the last of the named storms this season, forecasters say
While many communities, islands and countries have experienced some of the worst conditions Beryl has had to offer, from its peak at a deadly Category 5 hurricane to its continuing power as a Tropical Storm.
However, AccuWeather reporters believe that there is plenty more named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher) to come.
AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva said it will take only a week or two for sea surface temperatures to rebound in the wake of Beryl, meaning the risk for more tropical threats in the Gulf of Mexico will be increased.
“We’ve been concerned about this hurricane season and the risk to the Texas coast since AccuWeather issued its first forecast in March. Water temperatures across much of the Gulf of Mexico are essentially as warm as bathtub water. Those warm waters are at the surface, and they extend hundreds of feet down. Warm waters act like jet fuel for hurricanes, and it won’t take long for temperatures to rebound in the wake of Beryl,” said DaSilva.
“We’ll be keeping a very close eye on the Gulf of Mexico and the Texas coast for more tropical threats this summer. AccuWeather is forecasting 20 to 25 named storms and four to six direct impacts on the United States this season.”
Meanwhile, NOAA National Weather Service forecasters predicted in May a range of 17 to 25 total named storms this year in the Atlantic, 8 to 13 of those forecast to become hurricanes.
Amelia Neath8 July 2024 18:00 Newer1 / 8OlderDisclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
