Image source, Getty Images
- author, Brandon Drennon
- role, BBC News, Washington
Houston-area hospitals are overwhelmed after Hurricane Beryl brought an intense heat wave that left more than a million people in the city without power.
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said the city’s football stadium had been converted into a “temporary facility” in case hospitals reach capacity.
“[Hospitals] “Without electricity, hospitals cannot discharge patients because they cannot go home,” Patrick said at a news conference.
Extreme heat continued across the US from California to Texas on Thursday, triggering heat warnings for tens of millions of people.
Heat watches were issued for dozens of cities in Texas.
Temperatures are expected to reach 105 degrees (40 C) in the Houston area, adding to the threat as residents are still recovering from the hurricane.
Strong winds toppled trees and downed power lines on Monday, leaving more than 2 million people without power.
About 1.3 million people in the state remain without electricity.
More than 100 cooling centers were opened in the Houston area to help residents.
There have also been reports of long lines of cars idling at gas stations waiting to fill up, a last resort for those without air conditioning indoors.
Patrick on Wednesday called it a “tragic situation.”
“It’s pitch black at night and hot as hell during the day,” he said, adding that people could no longer get food to keep cold in their refrigerators.
Other parts of the US are also experiencing extreme heat that is expected to continue through the weekend, including areas that normally have relatively mild weather, such as Oregon.
Heat watches have been issued for nine states: Texas, California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and Oregon.
California officials warned that “dangerously hot conditions” would continue into Saturday, with temperatures expected to reach as high as 120 degrees Fahrenheit (49 degrees Celsius) in areas including Palm Springs.
A Sacramento man died at a hospital after being rushed from his unair-conditioned home on Sunday, when temperatures reached 106 degrees (41 Celsius).
Officials warned that while temperatures are often cooler further north, parts of Oregon could see triple-digit temperatures as well.
Ten people have died in the state due to the record heatwave, but further investigations are underway to determine the exact cause of death.
More than 280 temperature records have been broken in the state this year, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting.
Climate scientists say average temperatures are rising worldwide and hotter days are becoming more frequent and intense.
The cause is often linked to human-induced climate change.
Last year, the planet recorded four consecutive days of its hottest temperatures on record, according to data from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction.
