Winter weather has killed at least two people and canceled more than 1,600 flights in Texas.
Another bout of winter storms brought ice conditions to large areas of the southern United States, causing transportation problems and the loss of power to thousands of people.
More than 1,600 flights have been canceled and officials reported an increase in vehicle crashes due to poor driving conditions as an ice storm spread severe weather from western Texas to West Virginia on Tuesday.
So far, two people have been confirmed dead due to the storm, both in car accidents.of Police station A fatality was reported in Arlington, Texas after a vehicle “capsized” at night. fire station Austin, Texas, said 10 cars were killed in a pile on a freeway ramp.
“Since midnight, we have responded to over 90 incidents, three of which were in our own units. We also had two fires this morning, both caused by space heaters.” , the Austin Fire Department tweeted. “Please stay home and stay out of the way. Give the stove enough space. Do not use the oven for heating. Keep the generator outside.”
Since midnight, we have responded to over 90 incidents, 3 of which have been handled by our own units. This morning he again had two fires, both caused by the space heater. Stay home, stay off the road, give space heaters plenty of space, use ovens to keep them warm, and keep generators outside. pic.twitter.com/FtjSVFrjfn
— Austin Fire Department (@austinfiredept) January 31, 2023
Ice storms are the latest extreme weather to test U.S. infrastructure and public institutions, calling into question the government’s readiness for difficult conditions expected to become more common as a result of climate change. .
In late December, a “bomb cyclone” ravaged the country with raging snowstorms and freezing temperatures, cutting power to hundreds of thousands of homes and killing more than a dozen people.
In mid-January, tornadoes and heavy rains also killed seven people in the southern states of Georgia and Alabama.
At a press conference Tuesday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the state expects “below-freezing temperatures” in the western, central and northern parts of the state throughout the week. Abbott said heavy rain is also expected, with flash flooding likely in central, eastern and southeastern Texas on Wednesday and Thursday.
“Because of icing, many roads in Texas will remain very dangerous for the next 24 to 48 hours,” Abbott said. He said 1,600 roads are currently affected by the weather, and state transit agencies have deployed about 1.3 million gallons. [4.9 million litres] Brine and other materials to make roads more driveable.
Abbott said the Texas power grid, which has been criticized in the past for breaking down during periods of extreme cold, is “just working.”
As of Tuesday morning, he said there were about 7,000 power outages across the state, but “they are being proactively addressed by local power companies.”
