Geneva [Switzerland], July 9: Tropical Storm Beryl brought high winds and torrential rain to the US state of Texas on July 8, killing at least three people and canceling more than 1,300 flights.
Beryl, the earliest Category 5 storm on record this season, weakened after making landfall in the Texas coastal town of Matagorda, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. Weather conditions could cause tornadoes in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas, the NHC said.
Hurricane Beryl, which swept through Jamaica, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines last week, is expected to rapidly weaken as it moves inland. The storm has killed at least 11 people in Mexico and the Caribbean and before reaching Texas, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick said, according to Reuters.
In Texas, a 53-year-old man and a 74-year-old woman were killed when two trees fell on their homes in Houston on July 8. A third person was on his way to work when he drowned in a tunnel, Patrick said.
The storm also flooded many highways, forced oil ports and many schools to temporarily close.
In addition, airlines canceled more than 1,300 flights and officials ordered scattered evacuations in coastal towns. Small businesses in Houston delayed opening or closed on July 8.
Several counties in southeast Texas, including Houston, home to many US energy companies, are under flash flood warnings as thunderstorms dump up to a foot of rain in some areas.
According to Mr. Patrick and the website PowerOutage.us , more than 2.7 million homes and businesses in Texas lost power.
Texas authorities have yet to assess the economic damage as officials continue to work to restore power amid strong winds. Thomas Gleeson, head of the Texas Public Utility Commission, said restoring power could take several days, according to Reuters.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper