Heavier rainfall may inundate the Gulf Coast region following storms that took over four lives, damaged numerous structures, and rendered a million people powerless.
At least four people have lost their lives due to severe weather that battered Houston, Mayor's chief of communications Mary Benton informed CNN. Two people's deaths occurrences seem to be caused by fallen trees, and a crane accident led to another death, as informed by Houston Fire Department Chief Samuel Peña in a press conference conducted on Thursday night.
Strong winds left havoc on the city, damaging buildings in Houston, obstructing roads with fallen trees and debris, and causing power outages, rendering many neighborhoods in darkness. Over 934,000 homes and businesses in Texas and more than 166,000 in Louisiana were powerless as of early Friday, according to PowerOutage.us.
The storm was forceful enough to shatter windows of establishments in downtown Houston, littering the area with broken glass as traffic lights went dark. Costco shoppers in Houston relied on their cellphones for light and huddled in the dark within the store when the power went out, with staff members closing the doors to shield against the rain and winds.
Soaking storms are slated to shift east and attack more of the Gulf Coast on Friday, with widespread damage in their path. The massive group of thunderstorms brought on a flash flood threat due to heavy rains and severe storm dangers in the strongest cells.
An estimated thirty million individuals are at risk of severe weather on Friday along the Gulf Coast. One million people are under a moderate risk of excessive rainfall. Mississippi and Alabama have significant sections under a moderate risk of exceedingly heavy rainfall on Friday. Compellingly, the region stretching from the Texas-Louisiana border to Georgia and Florida Panhandle holds a level two (out of four) risk. A flash flood warning was broadcasted by National Weather Service until 2:15 am CT in New Orleans, with heavy rainwater swamping the region.
Heavy rain will most likely continue till Friday morning across parts of the Gulf Coast. Initial flash flooding is anticipated to occur in the first half of Friday, followed by the onset of rains modifying towards tapering off in the afternoon.
Further heavy rains are expected to start developing on Friday evening and continue till the earliest hours of Saturday morning, impacting the same areas as previously. These storms could cause rainfall rates of two to three inches per hour, prompting any ongoing flooding to be accelerated or intensified.
Heavy rainfall predictions range from 2 to 6 inches for Texas to Georgia until Saturday morning. Specific locations susceptible to multiple torrential storms might experience 8 inches of rain. Some regions could face close to a foot of rainfall in roughly forty-eight hours.
Storms continue to rage across the South: A tornado watch has been announced until 3am CT on Friday for Southeastern Louisiana, spanning over 2.5 million people and covering places like Baton Rouge and New Orleans.
Houston structures suffer damage: Unruly storm conditions in Houston have wreaked havoc, blowing out skyscraper windows, partially crumbling a nightclub, and partially ripping off the roof of the downtown Hyatt Regency, submerging the lobby in rain and debris, owing to witness videos. CenterPoint Energy reported that their skyscraper in downtown Houston has sustained damages due to the storm, as per a spokesperson.
Majority of Houston's traffic lights are down: Houston Mayor John Whitmire instructed the residents to avoid using the roads and sheltered in their homes. The city's traffic lights are out of operation, and it could necessitate 24 to 48 hours to restore electricity. Mayor's office said in a statement, "The mayor and first responders are urging Houstonians to stay off the roads and avoid all unnecessary travel. A majority of roads are rendered inaccessible due to downed utility wires, debris, and fallen trees."
Thunderstorms are labeled 'destructive': The weather service disclosed a severe thunderstorm warning for Houston with the maximum 'destructive' tag. The weather service announced wind gusts of up to 80 mph for the metro area, and residents were instructed to immediately take cover. On the eastern side of the city, reports of 78 mph winds have emerged.
Water rescue incidents: Massive flooding occurred in Bryan, Texas. Police spokesperson Seth Waller mentioned sixty water rescue incidents, as citizens risked their lives by carelessly driving through floods. College Station also experienced heavy rain flooding a local park.
Roads succumb to rising water: Multiple roads shut down in Northern and Eastern Bosque County, Texas, because of water covering road crossings or bridges. Almost a dozen roads in Bell County were inundated by waters.
More than a dozen educational institutions have shut down: Houston Independent School District confirmed campuses closed on Friday, reopening next week. "Due to the pervasive destruction across Houston, HISD has coordinated with the City of Houston and will be closing all campuses on Friday, May 17. Campuses will reopen on Monday, May 20," per the school district's Facebook message. Various other Houston-area school districts also declared they would shut down on Friday, including Aldine Independent School District, Channelview Independent School District, and Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District.
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In response to the heavy rainfall expected, emergency services urged people to stay indoors and avoid driving, fearing that falling trees and increased rainfall rates could make roads hazardous. The excessive rainfall caused flood warnings in numerous regions, including New Orleans, where residents were advised to evacuate or remain in their homes if safe to do so.
Source: edition.cnn.com
