At least seven U.S. deaths, and 11 in the Caribbean, have been attributed to Beryl, according to the Associated Press. Of these, one is in Louisiana and six are from Texas.
As the storm heads toward the Northeast, flooding, wind and tornadoes threaten parts of the south-central U.S. on Tuesday.
About 2 million people are now without power, and several homes along the Gulf Coast were ripped apart by Beryl’s hurricane winds. Rain completely drowned roads in feet of water.
No power in the scorching heat
A heat advisory is in effect through Wednesday in parts of Texas, with temperatures in the 90s and heat index values up to 105 degrees expected Tuesday. The widespread loss of power — and therefore air conditioning — could make for dangerous conditions, the National Weather Service said.
In Houston, at least 50 people had to be rescued from floodwaters as parts of the city saw more than 10 inches of rain that flooded highways and trapped cars.
“Houstonians need to know we’re working around the clock so you will be safe,” the city’s Mayor John Whitmire said Monday at a media briefing while urging residents to know the dangers of high water, to stay hydrated and to check on their neighbors.
SPRING, TEXAS – JULY 8: The damage at a home in the 17400 block of Rustic Canyon Trail is shown where Maria Laredo, 74, died after a tree fell on her second story bedroom during Hurricane Beryl Monday, July 8, 2024, in Houston. (Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX – JULY 8: A broken sign in the wake of Hurricane Beryl, a category one hurricane, which made a direct hit on the city of Houston in Texas with 80 miles per hour winds at landfall, leaving more than two million people without power in the Houston area.
(Photo by Danielle Villasana for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
A home destroyed by Hurricane Beryl bakes in the midday sun on Monday off Blue Water Highway in Surfside Beach.
HOUSTON, TX – JULY 8: Nick Jensen, right, and his son, Maverick, left, look at a felled tree at their Air BnB in the wake of Hurricane Beryl, a category one hurricane, which made a direct hit on the city of Houston in Texas with 80 miles per hour winds at landfall, leaving more than two million people without power in the Houston area.
(Photo by Danielle Villasana for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX – JULY 8: An abandoned car flooded in high flood water along Allen Parkway in Houston, Texas on July 8, 2024. Hurricane Beryl, a category one hurricane, made a direct hit on the city of Houston with 80 miles per hour winds at landfall, leaving more than two million people without power in the Houston area, nearly the same amount as Hurricane Harvey.
(Photo by Danielle Villasana for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Hurricane Beryl’s winds destroyed a strip of well known, beloved A-frame houses in Surfside Beach. (Credit: Brady Dennis FTWP)
A worker sweeps water from a damaged convenience store after Hurricane Beryl made landfall in Palacios, Texas, US, on Monday, July 8, 2024. Hurricane Beryl made landfall on the Texas coast early Monday, bringing heavy rains and life-threatening storm surge after churning across the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Photographer: Eddie Seal/Bloomberg via Getty Images
BRAZORIA, TEXAS – JULY 08: A person prepares to close the door of their mobile home as it is surrounded by floodwater after Hurricane Beryl swept through the area on July 08, 2024 in Brazoria, Texas. Tropical Storm Beryl developed into a Category 1 hurricane as it hit the Texas coast late last night. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
SURFSIDE BEACH, TEXAS – JULY 08: Homes are surrounded in floodwater after Hurricane Beryl swept through the area on July 08, 2024 in Surfside Beach, Texas. Tropical Storm Beryl developed into a Category 1 hurricane as it hit the Texas coast late last night. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
FREEPORT, TEXAS – JULY 08: A mobile is collapsed over on shore after Hurricane Beryl swept through the area on July 08, 2024 in Freeport, Texas. Tropical Storm Beryl developed into a Category 1 hurricane as it hit the Texas coast late last night. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Debris from a destroyed mobile home in flooded waters after Hurricane Beryl made landfall in Sargent, Texas, US, on Monday, July 8, 2024. Hurricane Beryl made landfall on the Texas coast early Monday, bringing heavy rains and life-threatening storm surge after churning across the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Photographer: Eddie Seal/Bloomberg via Getty Images
A partially sunken sailboat after Hurricane Beryl made landfall in Matagorda, Texas, US, on Monday, July 8, 2024. Hurricane Beryl made landfall on the Texas coast early Monday, bringing heavy rains and life-threatening storm surge after churning across the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Photographer: Eddie Seal/Bloomberg via Getty Images
SURFSIDE BEACH, TEXAS – JULY 08: Homes are surrounded in floodwater after Hurricane Beryl swept through the area on July 08, 2024 in Surfside, Texas. Tropical Storm Beryl developed into a Category 1 hurricane as it hit the Texas coast late last night. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Vehicles travel through a flooded street after Hurricane Beryl made landfall in Sargent, Texas, US, on Monday, July 8, 2024. Hurricane Beryl made landfall on the Texas coast early Monday, bringing heavy rains and life-threatening storm surge after churning across the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Photographer: Eddie Seal/Bloomberg via Getty Images
FREEPORT, TEXAS – JULY 08: A mobile home is collapsed over on shore after Hurricane Beryl swept through the area on July 08, 2024 in Freeport, Texas. Tropical Storm Beryl developed into a Category 1 hurricane as it hit the Texas coast late last night. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
SURFSIDE BEACH, TEXAS – JULY 08: Homes are surrounded in floodwater after Hurricane Beryl swept through the area on July 08, 2024 in Surfside Beach, Texas. Tropical Storm Beryl developed into a Category 1 hurricane as it hit the Texas coast late last night. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
SURFSIDE BEACH, TEXAS – JULY 08: Homes are surrounded in floodwater after Hurricane Beryl swept through the area on July 08, 2024 in Surfside Beach, Texas. Tropical Storm Beryl developed into a Category 1 hurricane as it hit the Texas coast late last night. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
SURFSIDE BEACH, TEXAS – JULY 08: Homes are surrounded in floodwater after Hurricane Beryl swept through the area on July 08, 2024 in Surfside Beach, Texas. Tropical Storm Beryl developed into a Category 1 hurricane as it hit the Texas coast late last night. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
FREEPORT, TEXAS – JULY 08: A home is severely damaged after Hurricane Beryl swept through the area on July 08, 2024 in Freeport, Texas. Tropical Storm Beryl developed into a Category 1 hurricane as it hit the Texas coast late last night. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
FREEPORT, TEXAS – JULY 08: A mobile is collapsed over on shore after Hurricane Beryl swept through the area on July 08, 2024 in Freeport, Texas. Tropical Storm Beryl developed into a Category 1 hurricane as it hit the Texas coast late last night. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
FREEPORT, TEXAS – JULY 08: A mobile is collapsed over on shore after Hurricane Beryl swept through the area on July 08, 2024 in Freeport, Texas. Tropical Storm Beryl developed into a Category 1 hurricane as it hit the Texas coast late last night. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
SURFSIDE BEACH, TEXAS – JULY 08: A home is surrounded in floodwater after Hurricane Beryl swept through the area on July 08, 2024 in Surfside, Texas. Tropical Storm Beryl developed into a Category 1 hurricane as it hit the Texas coast late last night. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
SURFSIDE BEACH, TEXAS – JULY 08: A utility worker works to restore a damaged power-line after Hurricane Beryl swept through the area on July 08, 2024 in Surfside, Texas. Tropical Storm Beryl developed into a Category 1 hurricane as it hit the Texas coast late last night. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
LEAGUE CITY, TEXAS – JULY 8: The roots of a large tree are visible after toppling over in the front yard of a home in League City after Hurricane Beryl made landfall early morning Monday, July 8, 2024, near Matagorda. (Kirk Sides/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TEXAS – JULY 08: A vehicle is left abandoned in floodwater on a highway after Hurricane Beryl swept through the area on July 08, 2024 in Houston, Texas. Tropical Storm Beryl developed into a Category 1 hurricane as it hit the Texas coast late last night. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TEXAS – JULY 08: A vehicle is left abandoned in floodwater on a highway after Hurricane Beryl swept through the area on July 08, 2024 in Houston, Texas. Tropical Storm Beryl developed into a Category 1 hurricane as it hit the Texas coast late last night. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TEXAS – JULY 08: Residents assess a fallen tree in their in their neighborhood after Hurricane Beryl swept through the area on July 08, 2024 in Houston, Texas. Tropical Storm Beryl developed into a Category 1 hurricane as it hit the Texas coast late last night. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TEXAS – JULY 08: A pickup truck is stuck beneath a toppled tree after Hurricane Beryl swept through the area on July 08, 2024 in Houston, Texas. Tropical Storm Beryl developed into a Category 1 hurricane as it hit the Texas coast late last night. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TEXAS – JULY 8: Construction falls on a power line as Hurricane Beryl makes landfall on Monday, July 8, 2024 in Houston. (Raquel Natalicchio/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)
TOPSHOT – A flooded motel is seen after the passage of Hurricane Beryl in Surfside Beach, Texas, on July 8, 2024. Beryl was downgraded July 8 evening to a tropical depression after slamming the southern US state of Texas as a Category 1 hurricane, killing at least four people and causing millions to lose power amid scorching summer heat. (Photo by Mark Felix / AFP) (Photo by MARK FELIX/AFP via Getty Images)
Cars line up outside of a gas station after the passage of Hurricane Beryl in Freeport, Texas, on July 8, 2024. Beryl was downgraded July 8 evening to a tropical depression after slamming the southern US state of Texas as a Category 1 hurricane, killing at least four people and causing millions to lose power amid scorching summer heat. (Photo by Mark Felix / AFP) (Photo by MARK FELIX/AFP via Getty Images)
Power company service vehicles gather after Hurricane Beryl made landfall near Bay City, Texas, US, on Monday, July 8, 2024. Hurricane Beryl made landfall on the Texas coast early Monday, bringing heavy rains and life-threatening storm surge after churning across the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Photographer: Eddie Seal/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Debris on a road after Hurricane Beryl made landfall in Matagorda, Texas, US, on Monday, July 8, 2024. Hurricane Beryl made landfall on the Texas coast early Monday, bringing heavy rains and life-threatening storm surge after churning across the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Photographer: Eddie Seal/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Homes surrounded by flood waters after Hurricane Beryl made landfall in Sargent, Texas, US, on Monday, July 8, 2024. Hurricane Beryl made landfall on the Texas coast early Monday, bringing heavy rains and life-threatening storm surge after churning across the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Photographer: Eddie Seal/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Homes surrounded by flood waters after Hurricane Beryl made landfall in Sargent, Texas, US, on Monday, July 8, 2024. Hurricane Beryl made landfall on the Texas coast early Monday, bringing heavy rains and life-threatening storm surge after churning across the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Photographer: Eddie Seal/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Jackie Jecmenek, right, talks with city worker Bobby Head as she stands in front of her neighbor’s home after Beryl passed, Monday, July 8, 2024, in Bay City, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
1 / 36
Texas officials said restoring electricity will take days.
Patrick said CenterPoint Energy was bringing in thousands of additional workers to help get the lights turned back on quickly. He said the storm toppled 10 transmission lines and that many of the outages were caused by fallen trees.
Beryl moves northeast
The storm weakened into a tropical depression after making landfall, and by Tuesday morning, its center was over southwestern Arkansas, moving northeast with maximum sustained wind speeds near 30 mph, the weather service said. Its strength isn’t expected to change much in the next day or two.
Beryl still threatens to unleash more harsh weather over several other states in the coming days. It is expected to bring heavy rainfall and possible flash flooding from the lower and mid-Mississippi Valley to the Great Lakes on Tuesday into Wednesday, the weather service said.
A flood watch was in effect for parts of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan, and tornadoes were possible through the early morning across parts of the mid-South. A few tornadoes are possible from midday to the early evening in Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio, according to the weather service.
Beryl on Tuesday was far less powerful than the Category 5 behemoth that earlier tore a deadly path of destruction through parts of Mexico and the Caribbean. But its winds and rains still knocked down hundreds of trees that had already been teetering in water-saturated earth and stranded dozens of cars on flooded roads.
