(NEWSnet/AP) — Hurricane Beryl, which has since weakened to a tropical depression, knocked out power to nearly 3 million homes and businesses in Texas Monday and is expected to dump heavy rains in coming days across several other states.

At last count, 12 deaths have been attributed to the storm damage.

Impact in Texas

 

Power outages peaked Monday with more than 2.7 million customers around Houston, according to PowerOutage.us. While some restorations have taken place, state and local officials warned it could take several days to finish restoring power.

“We’re not past any difficult conditions,” said Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who is acting governor while Gov. Greg Abbott is out of the country. Patrick said CenterPoint Energy was bringing thousands of additional workers to restore power, with top priorities including nursing homes and assisted living centers.

In the meantime, Beryl has been attributed for multiple deaths Monday in Texas, at least three of whom Houston news station KHOU-11 said were the result of trees falling.

Another fatality was a Houston Police Department civilian employee en route to work when he was caught in rising floodwaters, according to a social media post from acting chief Larry J. Satterwhite.

Houston officials also reported at least 25 water rescues by Monday afternoon, mostly for people with vehicles stuck in floodwaters.

“Houstonians need to know we’re working around the clock so you will be safe,” Houston Mayor John Whitmire said Monday at a media briefing, urging residents to also know the dangers of high water, to stay hydrated and to check on their neighbors.

President Joe Biden was getting regular updates on the storm and called the Houston mayor on Monday, the White House said. He told the mayor his administration will make sure Texans have the resources they need to get through the storm and recovery.

Several companies with refineries or industrial plants in the area reported that the power disruptions necessitated the flaring of gases at the facilities.

Impact in Louisiana and Arkansas

 

The National Weather Service is looking into reports of five tornadoes in Louisiana and five others in Arkansas after having issued dozens of tornado warnings for those states Monday evening.

There was one death during Monday’s tornado in Bossier County, La., after a tree fell onto a mobile home, the NWS database shows.

Beryl’s impact Monday also happened amid a heat advisory for southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi.

Beryl’s Path

 

What remains of Beryl 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 National Hurricane Center said.

In advance of the storm’s movement, flood watches were issued for parts of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan.

Tornadoes were possible through the early morning across parts of the Mid-South.

A few tornadoes were also possible from midday to the early evening in Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio, according to the weather service.

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