Tuesday, July 9, 2024

Hurricane Beryl Kill 8, Topple Trees On Houses, Knock Out Power In USA


https://ift.tt/ag8LC0T Hurricane Beryl Kill 8, Topple Trees On Houses, Knock Out Power In USA ~ OsazuwaAkonedo #Arkansas #Beryl #Cayman #Galveston #Harris #Illinois #Jamaica #Louisiana #Montgomery #Richardson #Russell #Texas #weather #Yucatán

Millions of residents in some parts of United States of America, USA maybe experiencing difficulties due to outage of electricity when Hurricane Beryl slamming as Category one hit south-east Texas and Louisiana, knocking out power for nearly three million people and killing 8 persons  on Monday.

It was gathered that the Hurricane Beryl made landfall in the US near the city of Houston, killing people and knocking out power to millions.

At Harris County, a Houston Police Department employee, Russell Richardson, 54, was said to have drowned after attempting to drive through high water on his way to work, according to Houston police.

Another person died in a house fire that is believed to have been sparked by lightning, Houston’s mayor said, according to BBC report.

BBC added in its report that three people were also killed in Montgomery County. Officials say one man was killed when a tree fell on him while he was driving a tractor, and two homeless people died when a tree fell on their tent, reports KHOU.

Local reports indicated that estimated 2.3 million customers in Texas were without power as of Tuesday morning, with some cuts also reported in Louisiana and Arkansas.

CenterPoint Energy, a Texas-based utility provider, had said it planned to restore power for at least one million customers by the end of Wednesday.

The storm also caused major destruction and at least 10 unverified deaths in the Caribbean.

Officials said seven people died in Texas’s Harris and Montgomery counties, while one more fatality was confirmed in neighbouring Louisiana.”

Beryl hit the southern United States on Monday morning as a category one hurricane, but it has since been downgraded to a tropical depression, according to videos posted online on Tuesday by residents.

Information from Flightware.com indicated that more than 1,100 flights were cancelled at Houston’s main airport on Monday following the slamming of the Hurricane Beryl.

Hurricane Beryl has moved on, but many communities are dealing with damage. The US Coast Guard took this video of flooding around Sargent, Texas, about 50 miles south of Houston.

No power since 24 hrs due to Hurricane  beryl and unlikely to be restored until Wednesday evening, a resident stated in a post online.

Close watchers said the Hurricane Beryl lashed Texas with strong winds and heavy rain on Monday as it churned inland, forcing the closure of oil ports, cancellation of hundreds of flights and leaving nearly 2 million homes and businesses without power.

Beryl, the season’s earliest Category 5 hurricane on record, made landfall near the coastal town of Matagorda, Texas, according to Reuters.

SaharaReporters in its reports captured the Hurricane Beryl situation in USA as stated verbatim below:

“The Category 1 storm made landfall on Monday, bringing winds of up to 94 miles per hour that triggered storm surges, toppled trees, and tore roofs off homes. 

Hurricane Beryl has claimed at least eight lives, with seven casualties reported in the greater Houston area and one in Louisiana, US. 

As the storm moved inland, it spawned tornadoes in Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas. 

Cleanup efforts are currently underway, and although Beryl has weakened into a low-pressure system, it is expected to bring flash flooding to areas between Arkansas and Illinois on Tuesday and Wednesday as it moves northeastward toward Michigan.

In the Houston area, three people were killed by falling trees, two drowned and one died in a house fire.

Houston Mayor John Whitmire also confirmed a 54-year-old employee of the Houston Police Department drowned while driving into work.

In Louisiana, a 31-year-old woman was killed when a tree fell on her mobile home.

The big effort on Tuesday is to restore power and water to residents.

At 7am, there are still more than 2 million customers without power throughout Texas.

Nearly all of the outages are in southeast Texas where CenterPoint Energy is reporting 1.8 million without power.

CenterPoint says power will be restored to a million of them by the end of tomorrow.

Officials say it will take days to restore power for everyone.

Acting governor, Dan Patrick says the state is sending about 12,000 lineman to the affected areas.

“Be very careful. power lines are down and we are sending crews and addressing it. there is still more flooding. Do not take this storm as it’s passed you now,” said Patrick.

Beryl made landfall at 3:50am Monday as a Category 1 hurricane near Matagorda, Texas, about 100 miles southwest of Houston, with maximum sustained winds of 80 miles per hour.

The storm made landfall twice before reaching Texas.

The storm hit the Windward Islands as a Category 4 hurricane on June 29.

It barely avoided Jamaica and the Cayman Islands before making landfall as a Category 2 hurricane on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula.

The volunteers with the group Texans on Misison will bring a laundry unit, a chainsaw team and a mobile mass feeding kitchen to the Houston area.

At least 11 people were killed on the way across the Caribbean.

The storm became a tropical storm before re-intensifying in the Gulf of Mexico and becoming a hurricane hours before making landfall in Texas”, SaharaReporters news report ends in quote.

It was gathered that the Port of Corpus Christi was back open by Tuesday morning, but the Houston Ship Channel, a major point for the import and export of crude oil and refined products, remains closed.

Texas state and local officials warned it could take several days to restore power after Beryl came ashore as a Category 1 hurricane.

We learnt that the fast-moving tempest, which unleashed heavy rains that prompted dozens of high-water rescues, threatened to carve a harsh path over several more states in coming days.

In Texas, the Hurricane toppled 10 transmission lines and knocked down trees that took down power lines.

Observers said that within hours, Hurricane Beryl weakened into a tropical storm, far less powerful than the Category 5 behemoth that tore a deadly path of destruction through parts of Mexico and the Caribbean last weekend.

But the winds and rains of the fast-moving storm were still powerful enough to knock down hundreds of trees that had already been teetering in water-saturated earth, and strand dozens of cars on flooded roadways.

As it moved inland, the storm still threatened to spawn tornados.

National Hurricane Center said damaging winds and flash flooding would continue as Beryl pushes inland.

A civilian employee of the Houston Police Department, was said to have been killed when he was trapped in flood waters under a highway overpass, Houston Mayor John Whitmire said.

“We haven’t really slept,” said Eva Costancio as she gazed at a large tree that had fallen across electric lines in her neighborhood in the Houston suburb of Rosenberg. Costancio, 67, said she had already been without power for several hours and worried that food in her refrigerator would be spoiled.

“We are struggling to have food and losing that food would be difficult,” she said.

Houston and Harris County officials said power crews would be sent into the area to restore service as quickly as possible, an urgent priority for homes also left without air conditioning in the middle of summer. Temperatures, which had cooled slightly with the storm, were expected to reach back into the 90s as early as Tuesday. The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory that said the area heat index could reach 105 degrees Fahrenheit (41 degrees Celsius).

The state will be ready to open cooling centers as well as food and water distribution centers, said Nim Kidd, chief of state emergency operations.

Beryl’s rains pounded Houston and other areas of the coast on Monday, reclosing streets in neighborhoods that had already been washed out by previous storms. Television stations on Monday broadcast the dramatic rescue of a man who had climbed to the roof of his pickup truck after it got trapped in fast-flowing waters. Emergency crews used an extension ladder from a fire truck to drop him a life preserver and a tether before moving him to dry land.

Houston officials reported at least 25 water rescues by Monday afternoon, mostly for people with vehicles stuck in floodwaters.

“First responders are putting their lives at risk. That’s what they’re trained for. It’s working,” Houston Mayor John Whitmire said.

Javier Mejia was one of about 20 people who gathered near the pickup truck rescue site to take pictures of other submerged vehicles sitting on the flooded highway.

“If you don’t have a way through, you’re going to get stuck like that,” Mejia said.

Having experienced previous storms in Houston, Mejia stocked up on food and water before Beryl hit, but forgot gas for his portable generator. He planned to spend the day looking for some.

“I don’t want it to go bad,” he said of the food, adding that if he can’t find gas, “We can just fire up the grill.”

Many streets and neighborhoods throughout Houston were littered with fallen branches and other debris. The buzz of chainsaws filled the air Monday afternoon as residents set to work chopping up knocked-down trees and big branches that had blocked streets and sidewalks.

Patrick warned that flooding could last for days as rain continued to fall on already saturated ground.“This is not a one-day event,” he said.

President Joe Biden was getting regular updates on the storm after it made landfall, the White House said. The U.S. Coast Guard and FEMA had prepared search and rescue teams, and FEMA collected bottled water, meals, tarps and electric generators in case they are needed.

Several companies with refineries or industrial plants in the area reported that the power disruptions necessitated the flaring of gases at the facilities.

Marathon Petroleum Corp said it conducted a “safe combustion of excess gases” at its Galveston Bay Refinery in Texas City, but did not provide information on the amount of gas flared or how long it would continue.

Formosa Plastics Corporation and Freeport LNG also reported flaring related to Beryl, according to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Companies have 24 hours to share emissions data after the flaring stops, a representative from the TCEQ said in an email.

In Louisiana, heavy bands of rain were expected all day Monday and “the risk is going to be for that heavy rainfall and potential for flash flooding,” National Weather Service meteorologist Donald Jones said in a Monday morning Facebook Live briefing.

The weather service in Shreveport issued tornado warnings across northwest Louisiana. The agency confirmed on social media that multiple tornados had been spotted in that corner of the state.

Fallen Trees Kill 4, Injures Scores After Heavy Rain At Jattu Market


https://ift.tt/Ic5GQ61 Fallen Trees Kill 4, Injures Scores After Heavy Rain At Jattu Market ~ OsazuwaAkonedo #edo #Etsako #Jattu #news #NiMet #Obaseki #Okpebholo #Zibiri

Four big trees in an unusual manner were uprooted by a heavy wind and downpour simultaneously at a major market in Jattu community in the Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State on Monday morning, killing four persons and injuring a lot of traders and customers who hide under the trees to avoid the rainfall.

According to Edo State Governor, four persons died from the incident with many injured.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent, who visited the scene of the incident, reports that the trees came down following a storm and prolonged rainfall.

The Chairman of the council, Marvellous Zibiri confirmed the death of the persons while speaking to newsmen at the market. Saying: “At about 9am on Monday, I got a call from my Vice Chairman and the Supervisory Councilor for Environment about the incident.

“During the rain, four trees in the market fell simultaneously while people took cover under the trees thereby killing four persons and many injured.

“So far, we have been able to recover four bodies and we have taken them to the mortuary while those who sustain injuries are at the hospital for treatment,” Zibiri said.

Zibiri added that rescue operation was still ongoing as the trees were being cut to confirm if there were other bodies under the trees.

The Chairman described the incident as tragic and sympathised with families who lost their love ones at the market.

He, however, appealed to residents to stay indoor whenever it was raining.
NAN in its report recalls that the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) had predicted thunderstorms and rains from Monday to Wednesday across the country.

The agency urged the public to take adequate precautions as strong winds may precede the rains during the period.

The council boss in a news release signed and made available by Iyamah Nurudeen,
Chief Press Secretary to the
Office Of The Executive Chairman,
Etsako West Local Government Council stated in quote thus:

“In the wake of the devastating tragedy that struck Jattu market, leaving scores injured and trapped under fallen trees, the Executive Chairman of Etsako West Local Government Council, Honourable Marvelous Muhizu Zibiri, has demonstrated exemplary leadership and courage in coordinating emergency response efforts.

The heavy rains that hit the area caused widespread destruction, but Chairman Zibiri swiftly sprang into action, mobilizing security agencies, local emergency services, volunteers, and concerned citizens to evacuate casualties and provide aid to those in need.

Under his close supervision, the rescue team worked tirelessly to evacuate those trapped, providing medical care and attention to those injured. Chairman Zibiri commended the unity and resilience displayed by the residents of Etsako West, praising their spirit and determination in the face of adversity.

The Council Chairman has assured the community of his steadfast commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of all affected, and has vowed to continue providing support and resources to those in need.

This swift and effective response has earned Chairman Zibiri widespread praise, and his leadership has been hailed as a beacon of hope in a time of grief”.

Meanwhile, Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki has said that measures are currently being adopted by the government to prevent another occurrence of such incident. 

In a news release he personally signed and made available through his social media handles, Godwin Obaseki said and in quote: “I received with a heavy heart the news of the unfortunate incident that occurred on Monday morning in Jattu Market, Etsako West Local Government Area of the State, where about four lives were allegedly lost due to fallen trees caused by a heavy downpour.

The incident is deeply saddening. I extend heartfelt condolences to the victims and families affected by this very tragic incident and wish the injured victims a quick recovery.

Emergency response teams have since been deployed to manage the situation and provide support and assistance to those affected, while urgent steps are immediately being taken to ensure such tragedies are prevented in the future.

While we urge all residents to exercise utmost caution as the rainy season intensifies, we reassure of sustained efforts and our commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of all citizens.

May God grant repose to the souls of the departed and succour to their families”.

All Progressives Congress, APC candidate in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State, Monday Okpebholo, said the incident is regrettable. “I received the terrible news of the havoc caused by the rainstorm in some parts of Edo North, particularly the disaster in Jattu Market.

My sympathy goes to the families, friends, and loved ones affected by the tragic incident today.

The devastating loss of lives and the injuries sustained in such an unexpected and calamitous event, which has left the community in shock and mourning, is regrettable.

I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this tragic incident. My thoughts and prayers are with you during this incredibly difficult time.

Words cannot adequately convey the sorrow I feel for your loss, and I hope that you find some comfort in knowing that the entire Edo State grieves with you.

To others who were injured and are currently receiving treatment in hospitals, please be assured of my prayers for healing and courage to overcome the pain.

The Jattu Market is not just a center of commerce; it is a vibrant part of our community where livelihoods are earned and social bonds are formed.

Today’s rainstorm disaster, which claimed several lives and left many more injured, is a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities we face with natural occurrences.

It also underscores the urgent need for comprehensive measures to ensure the safety and well-being of all Edo citizens in the face of natural calamities.

May I use this medium to call on the Edo State Government and all relevant authorities to conduct an immediate and thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding this disaster and take adequate measures to reduce the impact of future similar occurrences.

My party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), and I will immediately visit the disaster scenes to assist the affected families”