"Beryl" moves through Texas and Louisiana - five dead
"Beryl" hits Texas causing massive damages. Five people have lost their lives. The storm is now moving towards the North and may weaken in strength.
The number of fatalities from storm "Beryl" in the Southern USA has risen to five. One person died after a lightning possibly ignited a fire, according to Houston, Texas Mayor John Whitmire, who spoke of the city being hit by hurricane-force winds and flooding. A police officer was also reported dead on his way to work in the flooding. The death toll in the Houston region was previously two. One death was also reported in Louisiana. A woman was killed, according to local police, when a tree fell on her house.
Millions of people in Texas are still without power as Tropical Storm "Beryl" makes its way through the US state. It will likely take several days before power is restored for the two to three million affected households, said the chairman of the utility company.
In Jasper County, at the border with Louisiana, a tornado destroyed around three dozen houses. The US Hurricane Center warned parts of Texas and Louisiana for more tornados, flooding, and strong winds. At the Gulf Coast, there is still a threat of life-threatening storm surges. People should be aware of the storm surge. According to meteorologists, "Beryl" is expected to head northeast in the coming days and continue to lose strength.
"Beryl" made landfall as a hurricane near the Texas town of Matagorda early Monday morning local time. Matagorda is about 130 kilometers southwest of Houston, the million-person city.
The hurricane caused severe damage in the northern parts of Venezuela, various Caribbean islands, and the Mexican Yucatan Peninsula in the past few days. "Beryl" was the first hurricane since record-keeping began in June to reach Category 4 strength at the beginning of the Atlantic hurricane season. It later peaked at the highest hurricane category, 5, before weakening again. Over a dozen people have already lost their lives due to "Beryl".
The hurricane-force winds and flooding in Houston, Texas, were attributed to "Beryl". The damage from "Beryl" extends beyond Texas, with a reported death in Louisiana due to a falling tree.
