Over a Million Texans Without Power After Hurricane Beryl: Extreme Heat and Challenging Living Conditions

Houston, Texas United States of America
CenterPoint Energy estimates up to 400,000 customers could have power restored by Friday
Extreme heat and challenging living conditions for those affected by the power outages
Hurricane Beryl made landfall in Texas on July 12th as a Category 1 storm
Over 650,000 customers expected to remain without electricity until Sunday
Over a million residents are without power
Residents encouraged to take precautions against the heat and conserve water
Over a Million Texans Without Power After Hurricane Beryl: Extreme Heat and Challenging Living Conditions

In the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, over a million residents in Texas are left without power, facing extreme heat and challenging living conditions. The hurricane made landfall on July 12th as a Category 1 storm, bringing heavy rain and severe storms that caused flash flooding in some areas.

The power outages have affected homes and businesses across the state, with CenterPoint Energy estimating that up to 400,000 customers could have their power restored by Friday. However, over 650,000 customers are expected to remain without electricity until Sunday.

The lack of power has created a dire situation for those with chronic illnesses and the elderly population in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Houston area hospitals have determined it is unsafe to discharge patients to homes without power, causing some locations to become backed up.

Residents are encouraged to take precautions against the heat, such as drinking plenty of water, limiting outdoor activities, wearing light clothing, and staying indoors during the hottest parts of the day. The National Weather Service in Houston has issued a Heat Advisory for Friday due to temperatures expected to climb into the lower and mid 90s with a heat index reaching up to 106 degrees.

CenterPoint Energy is working diligently to restore power as quickly and safely as possible, but the extent of damage caused by Beryl has made the process challenging. The utility company urges customers to enroll in Power Alert Service for updates on restoration progress and outage details.

The power outages have also affected other infrastructure, including water treatment plants. Residents are advised to conserve water and boil any water used for drinking or cooking until further notice.

Despite the challenges, Houston area residents remain resilient in the face of adversity. One resident, Frankie Thibideaux, shared his experience: “We've been through this before with Harvey and Rita. We know what to do. We just need to stick together and help each other out.”

The Texas Emergency Management Chief, Nim Kidd, emphasized the importance of community support during this time: “We're asking everyone to check on their neighbors and loved ones, especially those who are elderly or have chronic health conditions.”


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Confidence

100%

No Doubts Found At Time Of Publication

Sources

91%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Houston area residents struggle without power and water as excruciating heat continues

CNN News Site: In-Depth Reporting and Analysis with Some Financial Conflicts and Sensational Language Ed Lavandera, Friday, 12 July 2024 05:57
  • Unique Points
    • Houston area hospitals have determined it is unsafe to discharge patients to homes without power, causing some locations to become backed up.
    • Residents who are elderly or suffer from chronic illnesses are at high risk for heat-related illnesses, creating a dire situation for nursing homes and assisted living facilities without power in the Houston area.
  • Accuracy
    • Half a million Houston-area homes and businesses may not have their power restored until next week
    • Approximately 875,000 residents in the Houston metropolitan area are still without power
    • CenterPoint Energy estimates that 400,000 customers will have power restored by Friday
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (75%)
    The article contains several fallacies. It commits the fallacy of exaggeration by stating that “Half a million Houston-area homes and businesses may not have their power restored until next week amid sweltering summer heat”, which is an extreme statement that overstates the severity of the situation. The article also commits the fallacy of ambiguity by stating “More than 1 million power customers in southeast Texas – mainly between Galveston and north of Houston – are still without power after Hurricane Beryl hurtled into the Gulf Coast on Monday”, which is unclear about whether these are unique numbers or if they include the previously mentioned half a million homes and businesses. Additionally, the article commits a fallacy of relevance by connecting heatwaves to fossil fuel pollution without providing evidence for this claim.
    • Half a million Houston-area homes and businesses may not have their power restored until next week amid sweltering summer heat
    • More than 1 million power customers in southeast Texas — mainly between Galveston and north of Houston — are still without power after Hurricane Beryl hurtled into the Gulf Coast on Monday
    • The article connects heatwaves to fossil fuel pollution without providing evidence.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

83%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Frustration mounts into threats for Texas power crews as 1 million still in dark after Beryl

Fox Weather Analysis Powered by Fox News Network LLC Chris Oberholtz Friday, 12 July 2024 16:52
  • Unique Points
    • Approximately 875,000 residents in the Houston metropolitan area are still without power after Hurricane Beryl.
    • Menifee Lucy and Lily Reeds are among the residents who have lost food due to power outages.
  • Accuracy
    • , Half a million Houston-area homes and businesses may not have their power restored until next week.
    • CenterPoint Energy has successfully restored power to over 1.2 million customers but nearly a million people remain without electricity.
    • At least 11 people have died in Texas and one in Louisiana due to Hurricane Beryl.
  • Deception (50%)
    The article includes emotional manipulation through the use of quotes from individuals expressing their frustration and hardship due to power outages. The author also uses selective reporting by focusing on the negative aspects of the situation and not providing any context or information about efforts being made to restore power or help those affected.
    • Menifee Lucy cries,
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (95%)
    The author expresses frustration and concern for the residents affected by the power outages caused by Hurricane Beryl. However, he also mentions that Texas power company crews are facing threats while working to restore electricity. This implies a bias towards portraying the situation as more dangerous or volatile than it may be, potentially inciting fear or anger in readers.
    • CenterPoint Energy requests its customers to keep their distance if they see their linemen and allow them to do their job to ensure a safe restoration.
      • Despite the power numbers improving, the heat and humidity remain high on Friday as a Heat Advisory is in effect in Houston. Menifee Lucy sits on her front porch for air in the Kashmere Gardens neighborhood on July 11, 2024 in Houston, Texas. (Brandon Bell / Getty Images) As frustrations mount, Texas power company crews are now facing threats while working to restore electricity to nearly a million people in the state who have been without air conditioning for nearly a week.
        • Fort Bend County Sheriff Eric Fagan stressed to residents that CenterPoint Energy called people outside the state to come in to help with the emergency. We will not tolerate them being abused, let alone having a gun pulled on them.
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication

        96%

        The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
        (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

        A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

        Texas power outage map: Over 1 million customers without power in aftermath of Beryl

        USA Today Gabe Hauari Friday, 12 July 2024 00:00
        • Unique Points
          • At least four people have been killed by the hurricane.
          • Beryl brought heavy rain and severe storms to Texas, causing flash flooding in some areas.
        • Accuracy
          • More than 1,300 flights were canceled due to the storm.
          • Temperatures could reach 106 degrees this Friday, posing a life-threatening scenario for those without adequate cooling.
          • CenterPoint estimates that 400,000 customers will have power restored by Friday, 350,000 by Sunday.
          • At least 11 people have died in Texas and one in Louisiana due to Hurricane Beryl.
        • Deception (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Fallacies (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Bias (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication

        74%

        The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
        (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

        A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

        Frustrations mount in the Houston heat after Beryl moves on and leaves millions without power

        The Associated Press News Tuesday, 09 July 2024 04:04
        • Unique Points
          • Millions of people are without power, and the extended outages strain Houston's infrastructure.
          • Frustration grows as Houston appears to struggle with a storm less powerful than previous ones.
        • Accuracy
          • Approximately 875,000 residents in the Houston metropolitan area are still without power after Hurricane Beryl.
          • CenterPoint Energy has successfully restored power to over 1.2 million customers but nearly a million people remain without electricity.
          • It is anticipated that 80% of affected customers will have their power restored by the end of Sunday.
        • Deception (30%)
          The article contains selective reporting and emotional manipulation. The author focuses on the negative aspects of the power outages in Houston after Hurricane Beryl, implying that Houston did not adequately prepare for the storm. However, they do mention that CenterPoint Energy aims to restore power to 1 million customers by the end of Wednesday and that sixteen hospitals were running on generator power. The author also quotes several individuals expressing frustration and anger towards the city and state officials, which creates an emotional response in readers. Additionally, there are statements about people dying in the heat without power, which is a sensationalized claim.
          • “People will die in this heat in their homes.”
          • Robin Taylor was angry that Houston didn’t appear prepared to handle the Category 1 storm after it had weathered much stronger ones in the past...
          • But for others, getting the lights back could take several more days or longer.
          • Nim Kidd, head of the state’s division of emergency management, emphasized that restoring power was the top priority...
          • Frustration mounted that Houston’s power utility had not sufficiently prepared...
          • Highs in the Houston on Tuesday climbed back into the 90s (above 32.2 Celsius) and humidity that could make it feel even hotter...
          • People coped as best they could...
        • Fallacies (85%)
          The article contains several instances of appeals to authority and inflammatory rhetoric. The author quotes various individuals expressing frustration and anger towards the city and state's handling of the power outages, but these statements are not fallacies in themselves as they represent the opinions of those individuals. However, the author does use inflammatory language such as 'buckled under a storm less powerful than previous ones' and 'strained one of the nation’s largest cities' to elicit an emotional response from readers. Additionally, there are several appeals to authority when officials are quoted defending their preparation and response to the storm. These quotes do not necessarily indicate that the authors endorse or agree with these statements, but they can still be considered appeals to authority as they rely on the credibility of these individuals to support their claims.
          • The return of soaring heat in Houston on Tuesday deepened the misery for millions of people still without power after Hurricane Beryl crashed into Texas and left residents in search of places to cool off and fuel up as the extended outages strained one of the nation’s largest cities.
          • Frustration mounted that Houston appeared to buckle under a storm less powerful than previous ones.
          • Nursing homes and assisted living centers were the highest priority.
          • Sixteen hospitals were running on generator power Tuesday morning, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
        • Bias (95%)
          The article does not demonstrate any clear bias towards a specific political, religious, ideological or monetary position. However, the author uses language that depicts the situation as frustrating and dangerous for people without power in the heat. The author also quotes several individuals expressing frustration with the city and state's response to the storm.
          • An executive for CenterPoint Energy, which covers much of the Houston area, defended the utility’s preparation and response.
            • But for others, getting the lights back could take several more days or longer.
              • Frustration mounted that Houston appeared to buckle under a storm less powerful than previous ones.
                • Highs in the Houston on Tuesday climbed back into the 90s (above 32.2 Celsius) and humidity that could make it feel even hotter.
                  • Kyuta Allen brought her family to a Houston community center to cool down and use the internet for work and the night classes she takes online.
                    • People coped as best they could.
                      • Robin Taylor, who got takeout from Denny’s, was getting tired of the same old struggle. She has been living a hotel since her home was damaged by the storms in May. When Beryl hit, her hotel room flooded.
                      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                        None Found At Time Of Publication
                      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
                        None Found At Time Of Publication