In Houston, the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl has left its mark on the city's most vulnerable - its elderly residents. FOX 26 reports the harrowing tale of a 70-year-old woman found dead in her powerless apartment last Sunday at the Beringwood complex. With several units in the complex lacking power since the hurricane's landfall the previous Monday, concerns were raised about the well-being of the residents, many of whom are elderly or immobile.
While authorities have not confirmed the cause of death, neighbors believe that it was the prolonged absence of electricity, and the subsequent heat that may have contributed to her passing. "This could have been avoided," said the woman's neighbor, Following the report by FOX 26 on Sunday's newscast, power was finally restored to the complex within hours, revealing the responsiveness of utilities when cast under the piercing gaze of media scrutiny.
Yet, this is not an isolated incident. As KHOU 11 notes, nearly 100 nursing homes and senior living facilities in Southeast Texas are struggling without power post-Beryl. The Southeast Texas Regional Advisory Council (SETRAC) has reported 36 nursing homes and 61 assisted living facilities in the dark, placing a significant number of seniors at risk. Families are concerned, with individuals like Janet Martinez witnessing her parents, both octogenarians, enduring the stifling heat. "They’re sitting in there and it’s so hot. It’s concerning. These facilities should take priority," she told KHOU 11.
The outcry for vulnerable seniors is growing, as state emergency management officials, led by Texas Director of Emergency Management Nim Kidd, express concern for the individuals in these powerless facilities. "That location is responsible for the health, safety, and welfare of the patients and residents that are there, it is that facility’s responsibility," Kidd explained during a press conference. Texas law mandates nursing facilities to have generators, however, assisted living centers, such as the one where Martinez's parents reside, are not held to this requirement.
