2.7 million residents left without power
Hurricane Beryl, which roared across islands in the Caribbean last week as an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane, made landfall in Texas around 4 a.m. Monday as a Category 1, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The storm, which diminished into surges of flash flooding and high winds made its way north, from the coast into East Texas eventually leaving 2.7 million Texans without power.
Meteorologist Matt Lanza, of Space City Weather, posted online that the storm, with “widespread wind gusts of 75 to 85 mph so far inland was really unnerving.”
In Tyler County, emergency management officials encouraged residents to shelter in place and to stay off the roads during the storm surge on Monday. This same protocol was recommended by officials in neighboring Hardin; Liberty and San Jacinto counties.
Most of the damage, according to reports, has been confined to downed power lines and trees through the region. The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a tornado watch until 10 p.m. on Monday for counties between Montgomery and Texarkana, and into northwest and north central Louisiana and southern Arkansas, and a wind advisory was in effect until Tuesday morning.
Tyler County Judge Milton Powers issued a declaration of disaster on Monday, citing the county being in imminent threat of widespread and/or severe damage, injury, or loss of life, or property.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who is acting as governor while Gov. Greg Abbott is out of the country, representing Texas in South Korea at an economic development conference.
Patrick said on Tuesday, in a press conference with Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) chief Nim Kidd that nearly three million power customers were without power, as 10 transmission lines were down.
Patrick said that the state has deployed assets throughout the Coastal Bend region; the Houston area and Deep East Texas, moving into recovery mode. The state’s Public Utility Commission chairman Thomas Gleeson said during a news conference that he asked Texans for their patience as crews are out doing their best to restore energy across the state.
Entergy Texas issued an update Tuesday morning that as of 6:30 p.m. on Monday, approximately 247,000 Entergy customers were without power, but crews of more than 1,300 workers were tending to the problems, “but the company anticipates that it will take several days to fully restore power.”
Sam Houston Electric Cooperative (SHECO) stated that its system had sustained “several damage” in the storm surges, and as of Tuesday, more than 5,500 customers’ power had been restored.
SHECO estimates that some customers in “some areas” might be without service for 48 hours or more.
Patrick issued a statement Tuesday afternoon, following a phone call with President Joe Biden, requesting federal emergency disaster declaration through FEMA to cover all costs for debris and emergency protective measures.
Patrick said Biden granted the request and that FEMA’s assistance will expedite the recovery process.
In the wake of the storm, with many Tyler County residents still without power, a cooling center is being made available.
The center is open at First Baptist Church, located at 205 West Wheat Street, in Woodville, and began serving in this capacity on Tuesday. The center will be open from noon to 6 p.m. each day.
According to the county’s emergency management office, anyone affected by the storm, can go and stay cool inside the shelter, and charge up electronic devices.
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