Hurricane Beryl stormed across the southern United States on Monday and killed more than eight individuals, international media reported.
Concentrated mainly in Texas and Louisiana, it knocked out the power of nearly three million homes and businesses,
Beryl’s intensity eventually diminished turning into a tropical storm and finally a tropical depression, significantly weaker than the Category 5 behemoth that wreaked havoc in Mexico and the Caribbean over the weekend.
The fast-moving storm’s winds and rainfall, however, were powerful enough to topple down hundreds of trees that were already teetering on water-saturated ground and trap dozens of automobiles on flooded streets.
The fast-moving tempest threatened to carve a harsh path over several more states in the coming days
Officials issued warnings of damaging gusts, up to 15 inches (38 cm) of rain, and “life-threatening” storm surges.
Flightaware.com reported that over 1,100 flights were canceled at Houston’s major airport on Monday.
According to poweroutage.us, around 2.3 million people in Texas were without power as of Tuesday morning, with some losses recorded in Louisiana and Arkansas.
The storm also caused widespread devastation and at least ten deaths in the Caribbean.
At one point, Beryl became the first category-five storm ever recorded.
It particularly impacted St Vincent and the Grenadines, Mayreau and Union, and Grenada.
The hurricane was also one of the most powerful to have ever hit Jamaica.