Source: The Texas Tribune, July 15, 2024
Following Hurricane Beryl’s landfall in southeast Texas, over 200,000 CenterPoint Energy customers remained without power for a week. The prolonged outages, combined with intense summer heat, led to significant struggles. Residents battled heat exhaustion, with temperatures making homes unbearable without air conditioning. The lack of electricity also meant no refrigeration, limiting access to fresh food, and no lighting, increasing safety concerns at night. The Texas Tribune reported that Texans faced “frustration and boredom,” with some resorting to community centers or leaving their homes to find relief. The outages also contributed to heat-related deaths, as reported by the Associated Press on July 21, 2024.
- Extreme Heat: Without power, residents faced dangerous indoor temperatures, exacerbating health risks like heatstroke.
- Food and Water Access: Loss of refrigeration spoiled food, and lack of power disrupted water purification for some, complicating basic needs.
- Mental Health Impact: Prolonged outages led to feelings of isolation and helplessness, with residents struggling to maintain normalcy.