Tropical Storm Beryl brought strong winds and heavy rain to Texas on Monday, July 8.
The storm's impact was felt keenly, causing the closure of oil ports, the cancellation of hundreds of flights, and power outages for over 2 million homes and businesses.
As per Reuters, Beryl, initially classified as a Category 5 hurricane weakened as it moved inland from the coastal town of Matagorda, affecting areas such as Houston.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported that Beryl had caused dangerous storm surges and heavy rainfall.
The storm, which previously caused significant damage in Jamaica, Grenada, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, resulted in at least 11 deaths and widespread destruction.
In Texas, one person died after a tree fell on a house, according to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.
The energy industry in Texas, a major producer of U.S. oil and natural gas, prepared for the storm by slowing refining activity and evacuating some production sites.
The NHC warned of ongoing life-threatening storm surges, heavy rainfall, and damaging winds.
Cities such as Galveston, Sargent, Lake Jackson, and Freeport experienced strong gusts and heavy rain.
In Houston, fallen trees blocked roads, and some areas experienced flooding.
Beryl, now a Category 1 hurricane, was expected to weaken rapidly as it moved inland, becoming a tropical depression by Tuesday.
Located about 20 miles west of Houston, the storm had sustained winds of `75 mph and was moving at 12 mph.
It was projected to move through eastern Texas, the Lower Mississippi Valley, and the Ohio Valley over the next few days.
Accuweather warned of possible tornadoes and flash flooding in areas as far north as Detroit.
