Hurricane Beryl, the earliest in the season to make landfall in Texas since 1986, has left a trail of destruction in its wake. The storm, which made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane on Monday morning, has been responsible for at least six deaths in the state, primarily due to fallen trees and drowning. Over two million customers across Texas are currently without power due to the torrential rain and powerful winds associated with the storm.
Beryl’s path of destruction began in the Windward Islands, where it claimed at least seven lives before skirting south of Jamaica, disrupting communications, stranding tourists, and causing significant storm surge and flooding. In Texas, three people were killed in Montgomery County as a result of trees falling on them. One fatality involved a man operating a tractor, while another involved a couple in a wooded area.
The storm dumped up to nine inches of rain in certain areas, accompanied by winds exceeding 90 miles per hour, causing extensive damage to businesses and homes. In Harris County, which includes Houston, emergency crews conducted 47 high-water rescues as floodwaters surged through the streets. Authorities urged residents to remain indoors and avoid driving due to the ongoing street flooding. Despite concerns, the storm surge proved less severe than initially anticipated.
Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick reported that 2.7 million people across the state are without power, with 10 transmission lines down. Restoration efforts are underway, but officials expect it to take “several days,” prioritizing hospitals, nursing homes, and residences reliant on medical devices and respirators. The timeline for power restoration in Harris County is expected to become clearer on Tuesday, while the mayor of Galveston warned that it could take up to two weeks for some residents to regain power. These challenges are compounded by “feel-like” temperatures approaching 100 degrees in the coming days.
Beryl has transitioned into a tropical depression, with sustained winds of 35 mph, and is moving northeast at 16 mph, gaining speed as it weakens. The storm’s remnants are forecast to bring heavy rain to Indiana on Tuesday morning, followed by Detroit on Tuesday night. Further rainfall is expected in Vermont on Wednesday, spreading to Washington, D.C., on Wednesday evening and into Philadelphia and New York City overnight into Thursday morning. Flash flooding is a possibility in these areas.
