Race to restore power to 1.6 million residents after Hurricane Beryl as dangerous heatwave continues

HOUSTON — More than 1.6 million customers in Texas remained without power Wednesday afternoon, leaving many residents without air conditioning during a dangerous heat wave 48 hours after Hurricane Beryl made landfall on the Gulf Coast.

The Midwest and Northeast are bracing for heavy rain, flash flooding, thunderstorms and possible tornadoes as Beryl continues northward.

The National Weather Service office in Houston said: “As power outages continue across Southeast Texas, the lack of air conditioning will increase the risk of heat-related illnesses as high temperatures reach the low to mid-90s.”

The heat index, a measure of how hot it feels that takes into account humidity, will reach 106 on Wednesday, he said. People are urged to monitor family members and pets and limit outdoor activities. Cooling centers are open in Houston.

Melissa Hunziker of Houston is struggling with the heat and no electricity: “Our house is pretty cool right now, but we know that’s going to change quickly in the future.”

“We have a portable fan that runs on a rechargeable battery. It helped us last night, but we probably won’t stay another night,” she said.

It’s not just the power shortage, but also the loss of cellphone connectivity that’s difficult to manage, making emergency information hard to reach, Hunziker said.

Kassie Rieger and Keaton Cravens were in Houston to help those in need. “We just hope that people are staying safe and doing what they can to help their neighbors,” Rieger told NBC News.

CenterPoint Energy, the main electricity provider for the Greater Houston area, said in a statement Tuesday night that it had restored power to 850,000 customers since Beryl hit, a third of the total affected. The company said its staff had walked 4,500 miles (7,200 kilometers) to check the circuits, with the help of helicopters and surveillance drones.

More than half of Harris County’s 2.1 million customers were without power Tuesday afternoon, according to the company’s online tracking system. Major components of CenterPoint’s energy system remain intact, the statement said, including its transmission towers and substations.

“We have made solid progress and exceeded the number of customer restorations following Hurricane Ike, but we have much important work to do, particularly in the hardest-hit areas where the work will be more complex and time-consuming,” said Lynnae Wilson, senior vice president of the company’s Electric Business Division.

Houston Mayor John Whitmire said at a news conference Tuesday that traffic lights were out across the city and urged people to stay home as much as possible after dark.

“Second only to public safety is the restoration of municipal and county services, with the top priority being electricity and energy. We are doing everything we can to get your electricity restored,” he said.

Houston Police Chief Larry J. Satterwhite said at the same news conference that officers have received more than 100 calls about suspected carbon monoxide leaks and have responded to downed gas and power lines. He warned that some trees and power lines that have not yet fallen could do so in the coming days.

Now a post-tropical cyclone, Beryl continues northward across the Midwest, triggering flood watches and warnings for parts of Illinois, northern Indiana and southern Michigan, as well as the interior Northeast, including central and northern New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.

Beryl’s maximum sustained wind speed has dropped to 30 mph, but it will still bring at least 2 to 4 inches of rain and tornadoes are possible in New York City on Wednesday.

Nearly two million people are at risk of severe thunderstorms Wednesday in northern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey.

At least 10 people have died in the United States since Beryl made landfall on Monday, most of them from trees falling on their homes, amid widespread flooding and disruption.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said at a news conference Wednesday that most of the deaths in Texas have occurred in the Greater Houston area and Harris County, including drownings and carbon monoxide poisoning.

The city of Houston reported an ambulance shortage, Texas Division of Emergency Management chief Nim Kidd said at the news conference. The agency sent 25 extra ambulances to respond to 911 calls and sent extra paramedics to hospital emergency rooms overnight.

Houston’s airport system also said Wednesday it was dealing with runway repairs and limited staffing in the wake of Beryl — in the midst of a busy summer travel season.

“Our hearts go out to all Texans affected by Hurricane Beryl, including our fellow Texans who have tragically lost their lives or been injured,” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement Tuesday, while on a diplomatic trip. “We will also remain in contact with power providers regarding the need to restore power quickly,” he added.

President Joe Biden has issued a major federal disaster declaration, which will reimburse up to 75% of the costs of debris removal and other emergency measures.

Images shared on social media from Houston show homes destroyed by falling trees.