Deadly thunderstorms wreaked havoc on the Houston area Thursday, leaving at least four people dead, hundreds of thousands without power, and widespread damage across the region. The storms, which brought winds equivalent to those of Hurricane Ike, blew out windows in high-rise buildings, downed trees, and flooded streets, prompting Houston Mayor John Whitmire to urge residents to stay at home.
"We have a storm with 100 mph winds, the equivalent of Hurricane Ike, considerable damage downtown," Whitmire said during a news briefing Thursday night, adding that the region may have also been hit by tornadoes. Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña confirmed that at least two fatalities were caused by fallen trees, while another was the result of a crane that was blown over by the strong winds.
As of late Thursday night, just under one million customers were without power in Texas, with more than 808,000 of those in and around Harris County, which contains Houston and is home to over 4.7 million people. Whitmire asked residents to be patient, stating that it could take 24 to 48 hours for power to be restored in many areas.
The severe weather also led to the grounding of flights at Houston's two major airports, with sustained winds topping 60 mph recorded at Bush Intercontinental Airport. Streets were flooded, and trees were down across the region, with Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez urging people to avoid the roadways if possible and to be on the lookout for debris.
In response to the widespread damage and power outages, several school districts in the Houston area announced that they would be closing all campuses and canceling classes on Friday. Houston ISD, the largest school district in the city, was the first to make the announcement, followed by Cy Fair ISD, Spring Branch ISD, and several others.
"Due to widespread power outages and potential safety issues in the Cy-Fair community, all CFISD schools and facilities will be CLOSED on Friday, May 17," an email from the Cy Fair ISD read. Spring Branch ISD cited similar reasons for its closure, stating, "Due to the extreme weather that came through our area, and to ensure everyone's safety and security, Spring Branch ISD will not hold classes tomorrow, May 17, 2024."
Other districts that announced closures include Sheldon ISD, Crosby ISD, Galena Park ISD, Waller ISD, Aldine ISD, Klein ISD, and Hempstead ISD. Some districts, like Katy ISD, opted to close only certain campuses due to power outages, while others, such as the University of Houston, remained open but encouraged students to prioritize safety if they were unable to attend classes.
The severe storms that slammed Houston on Thursday marked the second time this month that the region has been pummeled by extreme weather. During the first week of May, heavy storms led to numerous high-water rescues, including some from the rooftops of flooded homes.
As the city begins to assess the damage and recover from the latest round of storms, Mayor Whitmire emphasized the importance of looking out for one another. "I ask everyone to be patient, look out for your neighbors," he said. "It will take 24 hours for a lot of this power to be restored, some will require 48 hours."
