Houston faces dire fourth day for over 1 million without power as elderly dangerously swelter in heat
The challenging conditions over the past four days for the more than 1.2 million electric customers still without power across East Texas have left a notable impact on those affected, particularly the elderly and disabled, placing them at considerable risk.
Over 1 million Texans face fourth day without electricity in extreme heat following Beryl
Sunny skies and lingering moisture will produce hot and humid conditions for those working to clean up after Hurricane Beryl. While the expected heat is typical for this time of year, the widespread loss of power and air conditioning are creating dangerous conditions.
HOUSTON, Texas - Millions of people in Texas are still grappling with power outages and facing the looming dangers of intense heat and humidity following Hurricane Beryl.
The challenging conditions over the past four days for the more than 1.2 million electric customers still without power across East Texas have left a notable impact on those affected, particularly the elderly and disabled, placing them at considerable risk.
The 18-story Timber Top Condominiums in Houston provides housing for numerous senior citizens in their 80s and 90s who are particularly sensitive to high temperatures.
"It's really, really hard," one tenant told FOX 26 Houston as temperatures reached as high as 85 degrees in her unit.
Elderly, disabled residents vulnerable with outages in Houston
FOX 26's Abigail Dye spoke with seniors who are in a vulnerable position while dealing with power outages from Beryl.
While the condo's management has been supplying residents with food and ensuring they have sufficient water, making a considerable effort to fulfill their requirements, it's still challenging for most – if not all.
"We have a couple of people who are sitting in there now who are sitting on their deathbed," another tenant said.
To add to the misery, the building's backup generator powering the elevator failed Wednesday, FOX 26 reports, forcing residents to navigate stairs to access their units. One elderly woman in her 80s had to trek up and down from her room on the eighth floor.
"It's been very tough, very tough," she said.
Amid the lifeless elevators, dark rooms and hallways, the hopeful residents, like many Houstonians, are anxiously awaiting the restoration of power.
"You can't get any information on when your electricity is gonna go back on," another tenant said.
TEXAS SHELTERS SEEK HELP FOR HUNDREDS OF INJURED, ORPHANED ANIMALS DISPLACED AFTER BERYL
A downed power line on Memorial Drive after Hurricane Beryl made landfall nearby Tuesday, July 9, 2024, in Houston.
(Ishika Samant/Houston Chronicle / Getty Images)
CenterPoint Energy anticipates restoring service to an additional 400,000 customers by the end of Friday and another 350,000 by the end of the weekend.
Over two dozen cooling centers in Houston are currently open to provide relief from the heat and humidity. Residents also have the option to call city services for a complimentary LYFT ride to a cooling center.
The typical July heat and humidity will persist at least through the next several days with highs in the 90s and heat indices in the 100s, potentially even cracking 110 degrees, the FOX Forecast Center said.