Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick warned residents that Tropical Storm Beryl, which is expected to make landfall on the state’s southeast coast Monday morning as a Category 1 hurricane, will be a “deadly storm” for those in its path.
The National Hurricane Center warned that the storm will continue to strengthen as it heads toward Texas and could potentially become a Category 2 hurricane before making landfall on Sunday.
The storm is expected to strengthen to a hurricane as it approaches the Gulf of Mexico, and will be a Category 1 hurricane by the time it reaches the U.S.
Governor Greg Abbott warned Texas residents to prepare for the impact: “As Texas residents and visitors to the southern coastal areas celebrate Independence Day, I urge them to also make an emergency plan to stay safe.”
Beryl has so far killed at least 11 people in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Jamaica and Venezuela after the category five hurricane cut a deadly path through the Caribbean earlier this week.
On Wednesday, the storm knocked out power to 400,000 homes and destroyed buildings in Jamaica.
Storm Beryl approaching with 70mph winds as conditions ‘deteriorate’
Conditions are expected to deteriorate with dangerous storm surges, flash flooding and strong winds as Beryl is expected to make landfall as a hurricane along the Texas coast, according to the National Hurricane Center.
According to the 10 p.m. CDT advisory, Beryl is located 75 miles (120 km) southeast of Matagorda, Texas, and about 110 miles (180 km) east of Corpus Christi, Texas.
The storm is moving with sustained wind speeds of up to 110 km/h.
Shweta SharmaJuly 8, 2024 04:18
Floridians join forces to help victims of Hurricane Beryl
Communities in Florida are joining forces to help other communities affected by Hurricane Beryl.
The storm killed at least nine people in the Caribbean and also hit the island of Carriacou in Grenada earlier this week.
Florida residents, no strangers to the power of hurricanes, have begun donating essential items and volunteering their time to prepare the donated goods for shipment to hurricane-affected communities that need them most.
Graig GraziosiJuly 8, 2024 04:00
Texas residents brace for power outages and flooding as Beryl moves closer to land
Rain and increasing winds battered residents along the Texas coast as powerful Storm Berly approached, leaving a trail of destruction across parts of Mexico and the Caribbean.
Although Beryl was still a tropical storm as it moved toward Texas on Sunday, the storm threatened to regain hurricane strength in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico before making landfall Monday morning.
The storm was expected to make landfall in the mid-Texas coast around Matagorda Bay, an area about 100 miles (161 kilometers) south of Houston. However, officials warned that its path could still change.
Texas officials warned that the storm would cause power outages and flooding, but also expressed concern that not enough coastal residents and beach vacationers in Beryl’s path were heeding warnings to leave. “One of the things that concerns us a little bit is we’ve looked at all the roads that leave the coast and the maps are still green,” said Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who is serving as the state’s acting governor.
Shweta SharmaJuly 8, 2024 03:58
When is Beryl expected to make landfall in Texas?
Beryl is expected to make landfall in southeast Texas early Monday morning as a Category 1 hurricane.
State officials have issued disaster declarations for 121 counties in advance of the storm’s arrival.
Graig GraziosiJuly 8, 2024 03:00
White House: Biden Keeps Eye on Beryl Development as It Approaches Texas
Joe Biden and administration officials are closely monitoring the development of Tropical Storm Beryl as it moves toward southeast Texas.
“We are in close contact with our state and local counterparts and FEMA has pre-positioned response personnel, search and rescue teams, bottled water, meals, tarps, and electrical generators in case they are needed. On Sunday, FEMA activated its National Response Coordination Center (NRCC) to further support local response efforts,” the White House said in a statement to reporters on Sunday.
Graig GraziosiJuly 8, 2024 02:00
WATCH: Beryl expected to reach Texas coast on Monday
Graig GraziosiJuly 8, 2024 01:00
Texas officials issue disaster declaration for 121 counties ahead of Beryl’s landfall
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who is acting governor while Gov. Greg Abbott is abroad, has issued a disaster declaration for 121 counties ahead of Beryl’s landfall as an expected Category 1 hurricane on Monday morning.
The declaration allows state funds to be used for preparatory and restoration work.
Abbott advised Texans living near the storm to start preparing now for the storm’s arrival.
Graig GraziosiJuly 8, 2024 12:00 AM
Hurricane Season 2024 Is Here. Here’s How to Stay Prepared
Hurricane season is upon us, with devastating flooding and high winds in coastal areas of the United States, the Caribbean and Central America. Emergency officials are urging people to be prepared.
Unlike previous hurricane seasons, this summer is bringing record-high temperatures across the country and an early start to storms. Hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30, but normally most hurricanes occur in September and October, said Jaime Hernandez, the emergency management director for Hollywood, on Florida’s Atlantic coast.
Graig GraziosiJuly 7, 2024 11:00 PM
Texas emergency officials urge residents: Driving through floodwaters can be deadly
The Texas Division of Emergency Management warned residents in areas likely to be hit by Tropical Storm Beryl (which is expected to make landfall Monday as a Category 1 hurricane) not to drive through floodwaters during the storm, as doing so could be fatal.
“There’s going to be inland flooding, and what we’re seeing is that this freshwater flooding inland is more deadly to our citizens than the actual storm surge,” Chief W Nim Kidd said at a news conference. “So please don’t drive through the water. Turn around. Don’t drown.”
Graig GraziosiJuly 7, 2024 10:18 PM
Texas emergency officials warn power outages likely when Beryl hits
The Texas Division of Emergency Management warned Sunday that some residents in the southeastern part of the state could face power outages when Tropical Storm Beryl makes landfall as a Category 1 hurricane on Monday.
“There are going to be power outages. Let that be known. There is going to be a place in Texas where with these tropical and hurricane-force winds we are going to have power outages,” DEM Chief W Nim Kidd said at a news conference.
He advised residents to charge all their essential devices before the storm hits and to make sure their vehicles are fueled up before the storm makes landfall.
Kidd also recommended moving residents who rely on electrical medical equipment to safe areas.
Graig GraziosiJuly 7, 2024 9:22 PM