Seven dead in Houston area following Hurricane Beryl – Houston Public Media

At least seven people have died in the Houston area due to Hurricane Beryl.

Beryl hit Houston hours after making landfall in the southeast Texas coastal city of Matagorda. The Category 1 hurricane brought winds of more than 80 mph (130 km/h) and heavy rain to the region early Monday, and several people affected by the system died.

Russell Richardson, a 54-year-old computer security officer with the Houston Police Department, died Monday while driving to work after being caught in rising floodwaters on Houston Avenue, interim Police Chief Larry Satterwhite said.

At a news conference Monday, Houston Mayor John Whitmire said Richardson was an essential worker who reported to work in the early hours of Monday.

Richardson called the police department for help before his vehicle was submerged in floodwaters near I-45 at Houston Avenue.

A 73-year-old woman died Monday in her home in the 17400 block of Rustic Canyon Trail in Spring after a tree crashed into her bedroom.

Maria Loredo was a grandmother who lived with her adult son, his wife and their two young children. A large tree fell around 9 a.m. and destroyed the back half of the house, killing her instantly.

Hours earlier, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez confirmed that a 53-year-old man had died after a tree fell on his home in Kings River Village in Humble. The man was pinned under debris and was confirmed dead at the scene.

Authorities said a fire Monday at a southeast Houston home, likely caused by lightning, has killed one person, according to news reports.

At least three of the seven people who died from the storm were in Montgomery County, authorities said.

A man in his 40s died after being struck by a falling tree while operating a tractor in East Montgomery County. Two other people were found in a tent in a wooded area in Magnolia.

“We are deeply saddened by these losses and extend our deepest condolences to the families and friends affected,” Trey Baxter, spokesman for the Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management, said in a news release. “Our priority remains the safety and well-being of all residents as we continue our recovery efforts.”

RELATED: Heat advisory in effect in Houston after Beryl leaves millions without power

“Please avoid downed power lines and report any dangerous situations to local authorities,” he said.

The circumstances surrounding the deaths of the two people found in a tent were not immediately released.

Another person died Monday in Louisiana as the weakened storm tracked northeast along the Gulf Coast after passing through Houston, bringing the total U.S. death toll from Beryl to eight.

At least 11 people were killed last week by Beryl, a Category 4 storm that buffeted the Caribbean with strong winds. The deaths included three people in Grenada and Carriacou, and another in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, according to AP.