Powerful Storm Shatters Skyscrapers in Downtown Houston, Multiple Deaths Reported
At least four people were killed as storms smashed into Houston Thursday night, leaving pockmarked skyscrapers as evidence of the damage.
Mayor John Whitmire confirmed four people were killed, according to KRIV-TV.
A mother of four died when a tree fell on her vehicle, while a man in his 70s died after a crane crashed into the cement truck he was driving.
Houston Storm Update:
At least four people died as the severe weather blasted through Houston.
Fallen trees appear to have caused two of the deaths, and a crane accident caused another.
There were more than 650,000 homes and businesses without power in Houston’s Harris County.… pic.twitter.com/Kzgoep5Vhf
— DISASTER TRACKER (@DisasterTrackHQ) May 17, 2024
According to Fox Weather, about 800,000 people in the Houston area lost power, along with another 200,000 elsewhere in Texas and an additional 200,000 in Louisiana.
“It was kind of crazy — I was up in my bedroom and all of a sudden my alarm starts going off: ‘Tornado Warning! Tornado Warning! Take shelter,’ ” Juan Alcala told the weather outlet.
“All of a sudden everything just turns dark, and you could see outside the wind started coming in, and the rain — it was just dark,” he said.
“We had a storm with 100 mph winds — the equivalent of Hurricane Ike. (There’s) considerable damage downtown,” Whitmire said night. “We had firefighters taking live wires off (Interstate) 290 that was blocking thoroughfares.”
🧐Can ANYONE tell me the last time something like THIS happened?
A storm like this? Or a Hurricane?
Seriously when was the last time we had broken windows over 30 STORIES UP!#Houston #texas pic.twitter.com/dNRbYnE6nY— In2ThinAir (@In2ThinAir) May 17, 2024
Winds officially recorded at 78 mph downed trees and power lines as well as some transmission towers holding up the power lines.
“The roof of the Hyatt Regency downtown blew out,” one witness told Fox Weather. “Rain and debris poured down to the lobby.”
Many high-rise buildings lost windows, leading to streets filled with shattered glass, according to KTRK-TV.
“Downtown is a mess. It’s dangerous due to the glass and the lack of traffic lights, so stay at home. I can’t emphasize that and repeat that enough — stay at home tonight, stay at home tomorrow unless you’re an essential worker,” Whitmire said.
“I was on the 25th floor when it happened,” one witness said. “We could literally feel the building shake. And then the ceiling tile was coming down.”
This was the window-busting, tree-toppling storm that blasted Houston.
📍 Mamajuana Cafe, downtown
🎥 Claudia Prats Sanchez pic.twitter.com/d3FytWIewH— Adam Krueger 💯 (@AdamKrueger) May 17, 2024
Windows were blown out in the Wells Fargo building and several others.
“Because it’s glass everywhere. You can hear the crackle of the glass,” one woman said of the mess.
Houston closed schools Friday, while Whitmire said the cleanup and full restoration of power could take weeks, according to The New York Times.
“It was fierce, it was intense, it was quick,” Whitmire said of the latest storm, before adding that “most Houstonians didn’t have time to place themselves out of harm’s way.”
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