Extreme heat in the west of the USA - Eight people killed by storm "Beryl" in the south
Biden's government is "on the side of Texans, as long as it's necessary," he assured. According to the authorities, the number of deaths caused by Tropical Storm Beryl in the USA has risen to eight, seven of them in Texas and one in the neighboring state of Louisiana. Several victims were caused by uprooted trees. The storm had already killed at least ten people during its previous passage through the Caribbean.
In Texas, approximately two million households, according to poweroutage.us, were without power due to damaged grids on Tuesday evening (local time), while in Louisiana, it was around 14,000 households. The affected residents had to endure high temperatures at home without functioning air conditioning - while the NWS warned that the heat without the ability to cool down "is extremely dangerous." The authorities were rushing to set up air-conditioned emergency shelters.
"Beryl" had collided with land as a Category 1 hurricane in the southeastern part of Texas on Monday morning. Affected by high wind speeds and heavy rainfall was, among others, the million-populated Texas metropolis of Houston. "Beryl" weakened afterwards and was downgraded to a tropical storm.
On Tuesday, "Beryl" moved through the central United States with wind speeds of up to 45 miles per hour, as the National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported. It warned early on Wednesday morning of flooding caused by the storm in a zone ranging from Michigan in the north to New York in the east, and including the New England states. Isolated tornados triggered by "Beryl" were also possible.
According to the weather service, nearly 162 million people, or roughly half of the US population, were affected by the heat warnings. The NWS warned on its online service X, the "stubborn and record-breaking heat" would continue in the western part of the country in the coming days and then move eastward over the weekend.
In the past few days, large parts of the USA have suffered from extremely high temperatures. In the gambling metropolis of Las Vegas, the highest temperature ever recorded, 117.4 degrees Fahrenheit, was measured on Sunday.
Several deaths have also been linked to the heatwave. A motorcyclist died in the California desert town of Death Valley on Sunday at temperatures above 125 degrees Fahrenheit. In Portland, Oregon, in the northwestern part of the state, four men died since Friday due to heat-related health problems, as reported by the regional newspaper "The Oregonian."
In California, the high temperatures also contributed to the spread of bush and forest fires. In the Santa Barbara area, almost 11,000 acres of land were destroyed. The fire threatened the "Neverland" Ranch, which had long belonged to the late pop star Michael Jackson.
- Biden's government expressed their support for Texans, assuring they would be there as long as needed, amidst the aftermath of Tropical Storm "Beryl."
- The storm, now a Category 1 hurricane, made landfall in the southeastern part of Texas on Monday, causing significant damage.
- The National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported that "Beryl" moved through the central United States on Tuesday with winds of up to 45 miles per hour.
- As a result of the storm, approximately two million households in Texas were left without electricity, making the heatwave even more challenging to bear.
- The death toll from Tropical Storm "Beryl" in the USA has risen to eighteen, with eight fatalities in Texas and ten during its previous passage through the Caribbean.
- In the neighboring state of Louisiana, around 14,000 households experienced power outages due to the storm, and high temperatures soared without functioning air conditioning.
- The consequences of Tropical Storm "Beryl" extended beyond electricity outages and high temperatures, with at least ten fatalities linked to the heatwave and bush and forest fires spreading in California.
- Despite the extreme weather conditions, Joe Biden's government remained committed to supporting the affected areas, assuring Texans and other Americans that they were on their side during this challenging time.
