Jacob Ford/Odessa American via AP
- Two men have died in Texas as rare freezing conditions pummel southern states.
- Power companies said there may be controlled electricity outages through Tuesday and Wednesday.
- The outages have affected some warming shelters, Houston’s mayor said.
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Two men have been found dead in Texas as single-digit temperatures swept across the state, cutting off power to millions of people, including those in the state’s emergency warming shelters.
The men’s causes of death have not been officially confirmed, but law-enforcement officials in both cases suspect they died of exposure in the freezing conditions.
The rare, extreme cold blast that has hit the south is predicted to impact swathes of the power grid until at least Tuesday, suppliers said. President Joe Biden issued a state of emergency, freeing up federal assistance, on Sunday.
Temperatures across Texas as of 4:30 a.m. local time Tuesday ranged from minus 8 degrees Fahrenheit in Eastland to 5 degrees Fahrenheit in Fort Hood, the National Weather Service Fort Worth tweeted.
—NWS Fort Worth (@NWSFortWorth) February 16, 2021
One of the men who died was found on a median in central Houston, the city’s police chief Art Acevedo confirmed in a tweet.
A 60-year-old homeless man was also found in a van at an overpass near Sheldon, Harris County, KIRO7 reported.
According to a statement from Harris County police, he had earlier turned down an offer to be taken to a warming center.
The deaths were reported after power suppliers ordered rolling blackouts on Monday, affecting 14 states.
Power outages have affected some of Houston's warming shelters, Mayor Sylvester Turner told ABC13.
Hundreds have crowded into hastily converted churches, high school gyms, and community centers - some of which have reached capacity, Turner said.
As of 4 a.m. Tuesday, 3.8 million Texans were without power, according to PowerOutage.us.
"Things will likely get worse before they get better," said Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, according to the Associated Press.
Another barrage of snow and sleet is expected across the state Tuesday night, ABC affiliate WFAA reported.
Several states, including Texas, have also paused their vaccination programs due to the extreme weather and power outages.
David J Phillip/AP
Oncor, the largest power distributor in Texas, said in a Monday update that it was facing both storm-related outages and controlled outages intended to manage the energy supply.
"We are using all designated power lines for controlled outages so that hospitals and other critical infrastructure remains intact and system stability is preserved," the update read.
"We are prepared for emergency operations to continue for at least several days," the statement added.
Southwest Power Pool, which links facilities in 14 states including Texas, said it had been able to restore service as of 2 p.m. Monday.
However, it said its emergency alert system would likely "fluctuate" in and out of its highest level, potentially through to Wednesday. The highest level - Emergency Alert Level 3 - means more controlled power outages as demand outstrips supply.