Houston has been hit hard by a violent storm with hurricane-force winds that resulted in widespread destruction and the tragic loss of four lives; as authorities scramble to assess the damage and coordinate recovery efforts, residents face a long road to normalcy, with power outages impacting over 700,000 people on CenterPoint's grid, reported KHOU. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Mayor John Whitmire delivered a pressing update on the situation, marking their first joint press conference since the event, detailing the extent of the damage and the significant challenges facing the recovery teams.
Hidalgo signed a disaster declaration to expedite resources for recovery, urging residents to exercise caution in handling debris, "If you've never used a chainsaw, today is not the day to start," she said as over 700,000 CenterPoint customers remain without power, and with up to 930,000 affected at the storm's peak, full restoration could take weeks due to the transmission lines that fell, Hidalgo emphasized during the press conference, as she spoke alongside Whitmire KHOU reported. Whitmire echoed the call for community caretaking, reminding Houstonians to stay off the roads and instructing businesses to relieve non-essential employees from travel obligations.
Houston ISD, the largest school district in the state, alongside numerous other districts, canceled Friday classes in light of the power outages and infrastructural damage that spread across the city. As recovery continues, residents are cautioned if they smell gas to evacuate immediately and to contact CenterPoint for assistance at 1-800-752-8036, according to Judge Hidalgo's announcement.
The storm took out 10 transmission lines—seven in Harris County—causing such extensive damage that some residents are bracing for weeks without electricity; Hidalgo, who returned from Washington D.C. following the storm, described the weather event as "at the peak end of an unlikely scenario to happen.", a comment made at Houston TranStar alongside Whitmire, per the Houston Chronicle. Hidalgo has requested federal assistance with the damage accumulation from both the recent flooding and the storm to meet the thresholds necessary for aid, hoping that combined, the events would satisfy federal requirements for disaster relief.
Understandably, the immense power outage has crippled the burglar alarm systems, leading to heightened security concerns; in response, Whitmire thanked the first responders and acknowledged the arrival of 50 officers from the Texas Department of Public Safety to bolster the city's law enforcement presence amid the ongoing blackout. However, tensions became apparent as Hidalgo prepared to deliver remarks in Spanish after speaking in English, a miscommunication occurred when Whitmire invited Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones to speak, leading to a tense exchange between the officials. "Mayor, this is a disaster," Hidalgo intervened, "This is not the time," she stated.
