A powerful storm system swept through East Texas on Thursday, May 16 hitting Houston with severe thunderstorms that resulted in at least seven fatalities and left more than one million without power.
The National Weather Service issued several tornado warnings for the Houston metro area. However, the majority of the damage was caused by strong winds, not tornadoes. Winds exceeding 78 mph uprooted trees, shattered high-rise windows, and collapsed transmission towers, disrupting power lines.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office advised residents to stay off the roads due to fallen trees and widespread power outages, which affected over 800,000 customers in the Houston metro area alone.
Nearby counties also experienced significant outages, pushing the total number of affected customers across the state to well over one million, according to PowerOutage.us.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire confirmed that at least seven people lost their lives due to the storm and said that state resources were being requested to aid in the recovery efforts. “It is all hands-on deck tonight…Downtown is a mess, so stay at home tonight and tomorrow,” Mayor Whitmire urged.
A 31-year-old Houston mother of four, who was still breastfeeding a newborn, was killed when a tree fell on her. Christin Martinez had gone out to move her car because she was concerned about an old tree nearby that was liable to fall. The tree came down and she was pinned inside the car; her body had to be removed by the police and fire department with heavy-duty wreckers.
The storm caused extensive damage in downtown Houston. A customer at the Hyatt Regency downtown reported that the roof was blown off, resulting in rain and debris flooding the lobby. Windows in other buildings, including the Wells Fargo Plaza, were also blown out. Despite the severe weather, the Astros’ game at Minute Maid Park continued, though wind and water infiltrated the building.
Ground stops were issued at both Bush Intercontinental Airport and Houston William P. Hobby Airport due to the severe weather. The Houston school district announced the closure of all public schools on Friday, with plans to reopen on Monday.
While the immediate threat posed by the thunderstorms tapered off, the risk of flooding emerged as a concern for overnight hours. Forecasts predicted an additional rainfall of two to five inches, further complicating the situation on the already waterlogged grounds.
The aftermath of the storm continues to unravel as the city begins its journey toward recovery. Local authorities and emergency services are mobilizing efforts to restore normalcy as swiftly as possible.