Winter storms hammer Texas, fatalities reported
Friday, February 19, 2021
Image: Paul Budd.
A series of winter blasts have struck the US state of Texas in recent days, leaving at least ten people dead in the aftermath. On Wednesday, the second wave of the storms impacted utilities and water systems, with cities asking citizens to conserve water usage. Reports early Wednesday indicated more than two and a half million homes and businesses were without power. Texas is the only one of the 48 contiguous US states with its own separate power grid.
One media source indicated carbon monoxide poisoning killed a mother and her child in the city of Houston. A house fire killed a woman and three children in the city of Sugar Land. The storm has impacted shipments of COVID-19 vaccine, according to at least one report. Citizens were asked to conserve usage of electricity where possible. Reports from the city of Tyler indicate roads were nearly impassible on Monday and Tuesday due to ice and snow.
Earlier in the month, winter conditions contributed to a massive vehicle pile up in the city of Fort Worth, taking the lives of at least five people. Some victims were trapped in their vehicles for hours, awaiting rescue. During a press briefing, an emergency services official said this was a once-in-a-lifetime event.
Sources
- Omar Villafranca. "Second major winter storm threatens wide swath of U.S. with millions still suffering after first" — CBS News, February 17, 2021
- Jan Wesner Childs. "Millions Without Water, Power as Death Toll Rises in Winter Storms" — Weather.com, February 17, 2021
External links
- "City of Sugar Land's main site" — Sugar Land, Texas, February 18, 2021 (date of access)
