HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — The signs are the same at hardware stores all over Houston: No generators, no propane.
“We’ve got the windows open. We’ve got the doors open. My grandkids are just running back and forth. We sit outside to keep it cool, but it’s really hot,” Rene Ramirez told ABC13.
Ramirez said he had been to four stores, trying to find a generator.
More than 1.5 million Houstonians were still without power Tuesday, the day after Hurricane Beryl made landfall.
“With generators, especially whole home generators, it was what you would call a luxury good, but here in Houston, it is a necessity,” David Koster with Abacus Plumbing, Air Conditioning, and Electrical said.
The company has set up shop in a hotel in northwest Houston. The business and most employees are also without power, and calls are only expected to increase this week.
“I think the real test is that when power starts restoring, we always see an uptick in calls because things are wrong that we’re not aware of and then surge, and all those factors play in,” he said.
Preparation is key when it comes to severe weather. Whole-home generators cost thousands of dollars and can take months to install and obtain permits.
You can find a portable generator for a couple hundred dollars, but to avoid fires or electric shock, you’ll still need an electrician to set it up with your electric panel.
“We need to install what’s called an interlock on your panel and then also an inlet where you can plug the portable generator in,” Koster said.
In Houston, shelves will likely be stocked up again by next week.
“I can’t find nothing. It’s hard, but you gotta keep on going. Can’t give up,” Ramirez said.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Over a million households have been left in truly miserable conditions without power for more than 48 hours after Beryl moved through southeast Texas.
According to CenterPoint Energy’s Outage Tracker, over 1.3 million customers are still in the dark, and there’re no specific timeline of when the power will be fully restored. At Beryl’s peak on Monday, over 2.2 million customers were without power — about 80% of CenterPoint’s customers.
Previously, CenterPoint said it aimed to have 1 million of those initial 2.2 million customers back online by the end of the day on Wednesday. The company said customers should expect a multi-day process to restore their electricity.
CenterPoint released a new map overnight that gives customers an idea of the work being done in their neighborhoods.
The map doesn’t show when power will come back, but it does show areas across Houston highlighted in three colors.
Green means power is back, though isolated outages to individual homes could remain
Blue means crews have been assigned to restore the power and work is being done
Orange means CenterPoint is still assessing damage
CenterPoint broke their restoration process down into five categories:
Impact evaluation and resource mobilization – Crews begin assessing impact of damage and mobilizing local and mutual assistance resources.
Critical infrastructure assessment – Focus on essential facilities critical to health and public safety.
Community infrastructure assessment/repair – If your grocery stores, street lights and surrounding neighborhoods are without power, the problem may be at the circuit level, which supplies power to the largest number of customers.
Neighborhood infrastructure repair – If surrounding neighborhoods are restored, but yours is still without power, the problem may be at the fuse level.
Street infrastructure repair – Seeing lights on in your neighborhood, but you and your closest neighbors are still out? We’ve completed the fuse-level repairs, but there is a more isolated issue, such as a damaged transformer, that needs to be addressed.
CenterPoint plans to update the new map as it receives more information.
ABC13 was live at the Sam Houston Race Park on Wednesday morning, which is one of 17 CenterPoint staging areas across Houston. Countless trucks were lined up at the race park, with crews loading up and heading out to work for the day.
While CenterPoint has brought in extra crews to help with repairs, with 12,000 workers spread out across the region, some Texas leaders are questioning the response and if the company did enough.
“If they made mistakes, and we don’t know if they did or not, that will be addressed by the PUC and the state legislature. That’s our job,” Acting Gov. Dan Patrick said, adding he wants CenterPoint to focus on restoring power for now.
One common criticism is that crews are sitting around for hours, waiting for an assignment.
A CenterPoint spokesperson said they know of at least three cases where that happened and have made changes to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
“We’ve found it’s more productive if we do the assessment and then go out to where the need is, otherwise we’re just randomly just sending them out,” Paul Lock with CenterPoint said. “So, it’s painful for a day or two, but it’s more efficient in the long run.”
One thing you may notice is that your power may come back on, only to go right back off again. CenterPoint said that is because crews might have to take you back offline in order to help restore power to your neighbors.
The City of Houston will open cooling centers Tuesday, July 9, so people can take refuge from the heat. Additionally, nonprofit and county partners at the County are offering facilities.
City of Houston Southwest Multi-Service Center 6400 High Star Dr., 77074 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for Tuesday, with heat index values in the three digits. The City of Houston activates its Public Health Heat Emergency Plan when a heat advisory or an excessive heat warning is expected to last two or more consecutive days. People without adequate transportation to a designated cooling center can call 3-1-1 to request a free ride. Transportation is only to and from the cooling centers; transportation to other locations is unavailable. Especially during this extended power outage, be sure to put these best practices into place: – Drink more water. Drink lots of liquids even before getting thirsty, but avoid beverages with caffeine, alcohol, or large amounts of sugar. – Conduct outdoor work or exercise in the early morning or evening when temperatures are not as high. Outdoor workers should drink plenty of water or electrolyte replacement beverages and take frequent breaks in the shade or in an air-conditioned facility. People unaccustomed to working or exercising in a hot environment need to start slowly and gradually increase heat exposure over several weeks. – Wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothing that permits the evaporation of perspiration. – Do not leave infants, children, senior citizens, or pets unattended in a parked vehicle, even if the windows are cracked open. Check to make sure everyone is out of the car and don’t overlook children who may have fallen asleep. – Wear a wide-brimmed hat to help prevent sunburn as well as heat-related illness. Apply sunscreen, which protects from the sun’s harmful rays and reduces the risk of sunburn. – Seek accommodations in air-conditioned facilities during the heat of the day if the house is not air-conditioned: a relative’s home, multi-service centers, malls, movie theaters, libraries, etc. – Take frequent cool baths or showers if your home is not air-conditioned. – Look out for vulnerable populations. – Check on your neighbors.
Statistical analysis of the heat-related illnesses in Houston in the previous two summers indicates that some members of our community begin to suffer heat-related illnesses requiring visits to emergency departments when the daily maximum heat index (feels like temperature) is as low as 80 degrees. The young, elderly, and individuals with pre-existing health conditions, that heat can exacerbate (e.g., asthma/respiratory, cardiac, kidney conditions), should be especially cautious. Symptoms of heat exhaustion include weakness, dizziness, excessive sweating, cool or moist skin, nausea or vomiting, muscle cramps, and a fast and weak pulse. People experiencing these symptoms should lower their body temperature by getting to a cooler place, drinking water, taking a cool shower or bath and resting. A throbbing headache, red, hot, and dry skin (no longer sweating), extremely high body temperature (above 103°), nausea or vomiting, confusion, loss of consciousness and a rapid, strong pulse are signs of heat stroke. If these symptoms occur, call 9-1-1 immediately and try to lower the person’s body temperature until help arrives. People may seek air-conditioning in city multi-service centers, libraries and recreation centers, even when the Public Health Heat Emergency Plan is not activated. For more information or to find the nearest cooling center location or an air-conditioned city facility, people can contact 3-1-1 or visit houstonoem.org
Houston — July 8, 2024: The City of Houston’s Solid Waste Management Department (SWM) announces additional service interruptions for this week. Due to the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl’s high winds and rain across the City, SWM will operate a modified collection schedule for the remainder of the week. For additional information, download the HTX Collects mobile application or contact the 3-1-1 call center. Residents can also use the 3-1-1 online portal at houstontx.gov/311 to report any storm-related concerns. Please see the collection schedule changes below:
Tuesday, July 9, 2024
Monday’s garbage and heavy tree waste will be collected. Storm debris collections will resume. All six Neighborhood Depositories will reopen, but all other facilities will remain closed. Recycling and yard waste services will be suspended for the remainder of the week and will be collected on your next regularly scheduled collection day.
Additionally, SWM will conduct city-wide damage assessments from Hurricane Beryl.
Wednesday, July 10, 2024
Tuesday’s garbage, heavy tree waste, and storm debris will be collected. All SWM facilities will reopen.
Thursday, July 11, 2024
Thursday’s garbage, heavy tree waste, and storm debris will be collected.
Friday, July 12, 2024
Friday’s garbage, heavy tree waste, and storm debris will be collected.
Saturday, July 13, 2024
Heavy tree waste and storm debris operations will continue.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Beryl is now a tropical depression and has moved out of Texas. Beryl left behind significant flooding and damage across the region.
Isolated showers are still possible Tuesday afternoon mainly along the coast as deeper tropical moisture remains.
Temperatures Tuesday morning will be in the low 70s, but rebound into the low 90s and with the high humidity, heat index values will make it feel like the triple digits in the afternoon. That’s why a Heat Advisory is in place for Tuesday.
How long will flooding last?
With between five to 10, upwards of 12, inches of rain falling within less than 12 hours in southeast Texas, it will take a minute for all this flooding to clear streets, roadways, and highways Monday. Floodwaters need to flow through our bayous, creeks, and streams, causing street flooding. Additionally, Galveston Bay experienced a surge between two and six feet, which will initially limit floodwaters from draining into the bay. That said, area floods and street flooding could linger Tuesday morning, with conditions improving through the day. Debris could also be on roads and must clear before roads are passable.
What does the rest of the week look like?
There’s still the opportunity for a few scattered tropical downpours, mainly along the coast, on Tuesday in the wake of Beryl. Generally, though, the forecast does look drier for the rest of the week. This is good news for those floodwaters as they can drain through the watershed and out to Galveston Bay throughout the week. Unfortunately, those Houston summertime temperatures will be back in the 90s all week long, so those without power will battle some steamy conditions.
MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Republican National Committee moved Monday to adopt a party platform that reflects former President Donald Trump’s position opposing a federal abortion ban and ceding limits to states, omitting the explicit basis for a national ban for the first time in 40 years.
Trump imposed his priorities on the RNC’s platform committee as he seeks to steer clear during his campaign of strict abortion language, even while taking credit for setting up the 2022 reversal of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court. Trump appointed three of the six justices who voted in the majority to overturn the 1973 precedent that established a national right to have an abortion.
The scaled-down platform — just 16 pages and with limited specifics on many key Republican issues — reflects a desire by the Trump campaign to avoid giving Democrats more material for their warnings about the former president’s intentions if he wins back the White House. President Joe Biden’s campaign has repeatedly highlighted the “Project 2025” document produced by Trump allies as well as Trump’s own promises to impose wide-ranging tariffs, replace thousands of government workers with party loyalists, and stage the largest deportation operation in U.S. history.
The policy document sticks to the party’s longstanding principle that the Constitution extends rights to fetuses, but removes language maintaining support for an “amendment to the Constitution and legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment’s protections apply to children before birth,” a passage in the party platform first included in 1984.
It asserts, “We believe that the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States guarantees that no person can be denied life or liberty without due process.” The document also noted “that the states are, therefore, free to pass laws protecting those rights.”
Anti-abortion advocates who had criticized the Trump campaign’s efforts leading up to the platform committee’s meeting largely fell in line Monday.
Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of SBA Pro-Life America, praised the committee for reaffirming “its commitment to protect unborn life through the 14th Amendment.”
Dannenfelser stopped short of endorsing the document’s reflection of Trump’s view that the matter rests entirely with states. Under the 14th Amendment, “it is Congress that enacts and enforces its provisions.”
The platform committee began its meeting Monday, a week before the start of the Republican National Convention in Wisconsin where Trump is scheduled to accept his third straight nomination for president.
The platform is a statement of first principles traditionally written by party activists. In 2016, the platform included an endorsement of a 20-week national ban. Trump had supported federal legislation in 2018 that would have banned abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy, though the measure fell short of the necessary support in the Senate.
Trump this year has faced months of Democratic criticism over abortion as Biden’s reelection campaign has highlighted that Trump nominated half of the Supreme Court majority that struck down the nationwide right to abortion in 2022.
In promoting the platform document, the campaign released a statement highlighting 20 issues it addresses, including immigration, the economy, energy, taxes, and crime, but omitted any mention of abortion in the subject titles.
Among the vocal abortion opponents on the platform committee, some say the aspiration of a federal ban on abortion after a certain stage in pregnancy must remain a party principle, even if it’s not an immediately attainable policy or one that necessarily helps the Trump campaign in November.
“I see that as problematic. We still need these principles clearly stated. Some of these battles are not over,” said Iowa state Rep. Brad Sherman, a platform committee member who supported Trump’s winning Iowa caucus campaign in January and also supports a federal limit on abortion.
Conservative activists who were accustomed to having a seat at the table fumed beforehand over what they said was a secretive process for selecting committee members and the meeting taking place behind closed doors.
“For 40 years, the Republican Party and the GOP platform have massively benefitted from an open and transparent process,” said Tim Chapman, the incoming president of Advancing American Freedom, a foundation headed by Trump’s former Vice President Mike Pence.
Trump’s campaign has sought to reshape the Republican National Committee into a campaign vessel. It signaled in a memo last month from senior campaign advisers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles that “textbook-long platforms … are scrutinized and intentionally misrepresented by our political opponents.”
Trump ally Russ Vought is serving as the policy director of the Republican Party’s platform writing committee while also leading the effort to draft the 180-day agenda for Project 2025, a sweeping proposal for remaking government that Trump said Friday he knew “nothing about” despite having several former aides involved.
After the 2022 midterm elections, Trump blamed Republicans who held strict anti-abortion positions for the party’s failure to secure a larger House majority. He has since been critical of the most stringent abortion bans in individual states.
An AP-NORC poll conducted in June 2023 found that about two-thirds of Americans think abortion should be legal in all or most cases. The poll also found that 6 in 10 Americans think Congress should pass a law guaranteeing access to legal abortion nationwide.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Mayor John Whitmire delivered an urgent message to Houstonians after Beryl slammed southeast Texas: “Don’t let the clear skies fool you. We still have dangerous circumstances.”
City officials are transitioning from rescue to assessment mode, and Whitmire is asking the public to help them help you.
“We still have high water across our city… flooding issues,” Whitmire said in a press conference Monday evening. “It is still dangerous.”
According to Whitmire, every city department is operating at full capacity, with “all hands on deck.” Nothing will go unattended, the mayor said.
Heavy garbage pick-ups will begin on Tuesday, and solid waste will start regular service on Wednesday.
METRO Lift has resumed normal operations, and METRO will begin limited services on Tuesday.
The mayor also mentioned he is working with Public Works and TxDOT to get traffic lights back up and operating.
Beryl was downgraded to a tropical storm, but its powerful punch didn’t let up.
The storm made landfall near Matagorda as a Category 1 hurricane.
It moved inland, quickly producing life-threatening conditions.
Three people were killed, including two people who had trees fall on their homes.
The storm quickly inundated the Houston area, with Whitmire saying there’s water in excess of 10 inches across the city.
First responders have also received several calls for rescues, including one that occurred at SH-288 northbound at 610 South Loop, where a man was spotted on the top of his truck in floodwaters.
Firefighters used a ladder to lift the man to safety, his truck sinking into the high water on 288.
A driver stranded in floodwaters on Highway 288 is safe after the Houston Fire Department lifted him to dry land Monday morning.
Whitmire added that the city received over 400 911 calls in one hour and expected that to increase. Residents are also urged to only use 911 for emergencies. Contact 311 or 211 for other issues.
City officials echoed Whitmire’s warnings asking people to stay off the roads due to debris.
“If you don’t need to be on the street, stay off. If you’re on the street, don’t drive over flooded roadways,” said Houston Fire Department Chief Samuel Peña.
Another concern for first responders is the possibility of carbon monoxide calls due to people using generators, which should be kept away from homes and never brought inside.
Meanwhile, the Houston Police Department said it made 15 high water rescue calls, saving eight people.
The concern for many, though, is how long the power will be out, especially as night falls and temperatures rise.
CenterPoint has been reporting more than 2.2 million customers without power as of 12:52 p.m.
With that, the Houston Police Department said it would have officers in both marked and unmarked vehicles to patrol areas without electricity.
Houston Public Works said during the briefing Monday morning that while most of its facilities were on a backup generator, the water supply is safe.
“Our streets are going to drain slower than we’re used to with an event like this,” said Randy Macchi, chief operating officer with HPW, explaining that’s why they’re asking everybody to stay home.
Widespread wind damage and debris aren’t the only concern for Hurricane Beryl victims in southeast Texas.
We want to get storm victims back on their feet with access to the most important essentials: fresh food, clean water, shelter, and even mental health services.
ABC13 is updating this list of resources. Submit relief tips here.
Food Assistance
Houston Food Bank said it is closely monitoring conditions and will provide relief through its 1,600 community partners across SE Texas.
Houston Food Bank has partners in Harris, Fort Bend, Galveston, Montgomery, Austin, Brazoria, Brazos, Burleson, Chambers, Grimes, Liberty, Madison, Robertson, San Jacinto, Trinity, Walker, Waller and Washington counties.
Disaster Assistance
If you have lost your home in Hurricane Beryl, call the American Red Cross at 1-800-733-2767.
While FEMA assistance for Beryl victims has not been announced, you can visit DisasterAssistance.org or call 1-800-621-3362 with questions.
Mental Health
If you or a loved one is struggling with a mental health crisis or considering suicide, call or text 988.
Urgent Mental Health Services
Veterans Crisis Line: Dial 9-8-8, option #1
24/7 Crisis Text Line: Text TX to 741741
Texas 2-1-1: Dial 2-1-1, option #8
Non-Urgent Mental Health Services in Harris Co.: 866-970-4770
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Over 1.7 million households are still without power a day after Beryl lashed southeast Texas and left behind a path of darkness and destruction.
CenterPoint Energy, the primary power provider for Houston, said customers should expect a multi-day process to restore their electricity.
The ongoing outages come as a Heat Advisory was issued for much of the Houston area on Tuesday. Temperatures are expected to reach the low 90s by the afternoon, and with high humidity, heat index values will make it feel like the triple digits.
Cooling centers will open across the Houston area to help people without air conditioning during the Heat Advisory.
On Monday evening, Alyssa Oshodi, the company’s director of communications, told Eyewitness News they are confident about a multiple-day event to assess the damage to its system and restore power.
Over 2.2 million customers were without power during Beryl’s height — more than 90% of CenterPoint Energy customers.
CenterPoint explained that 12,000 additional field resources were deployed from outside agencies to assist their crews. Chicago’s ConEd was among the companies providing workers to the region.
According to Oshodi, CenterPoint is prioritizing areas where crews can restore more customers and where there are critical care facilities — like nursing homes and assisted living centers.
So, when should customers get back power? CenterPoint said it expects to restore 1 million impacted customers by the end of the day on Wednesday.
“While we tracked the projected path, intensity and timing for Hurricane Beryl closely for many days, this storm proved the unpredictability of hurricanes as it delivered a powerful blow across our service territory and impacted a lot of lives,” Lynnae Wilson, CenterPoint Energy’s senior vice president, said. “We know we have important work ahead for our customers who depend on us, especially during the hot summer months.”
Another regional electricity provider, Entergy, reported about 201,000 outages as of noon on Monday, with the majority located in Montgomery, Jefferson, Walker, and Liberty counties. The count included more than 6,100 Galveston County customers, including the entire Bolivar Peninsula.
For tomorrow, Tuesday, July 9th , non-essential county buildings will remain closed to the public. The County’s courthouse facilities will also remain closed to the public. No dockets are scheduled for Tuesday and jury service has been canceled. The Juvenile Justice Center is also closed; Juvenile Detention Hearings will not be held on Tuesday, July 9th . The Joint Processing Center remains open and staffed by essential personnel.
About the Office of County Administration: Established by Commissioners Court in June 2021, the Office of County Administration (OCA) is tasked with supervising day-to-day operations and implementing Commissioners Court’s priorities and policies for Harris County. For more information, visit oca.harriscountytx.gov.
