At least seven people have died in Texas after Hurricane Beryl slammed the state with strong winds and unleashing flooding.
According to the Houston Chronicle, all seven deaths are in the Houston area.
Officials reported three deaths in Montgomery County, where a man in his 40s died after a tree fell on him while he was riding his tractor. Two other people were found dead in a tent in a wooded area in Magnolia. According to ABC13, these last two deaths were also caused by a fallen tree.
Authorities also announced that a civilian employee of the Houston Police Department was found dead in a submerged vehicle near Houston Avenue and I-45.
Acting Chief Larry Satterwhite identified the man as Russel Richardson, a 54-year-old HPD information security officer who was caught in the flood waters. Houston Mayor John Whitmire said the man called HPD for help but in the end drowned.
“I am deeply saddened to report we lost a member of our HPD family (Monday) while he was en route to work during the hurricane,” Satterwhite posted on X/Twitter. “We ask everyone to keep Russell’s family – his wife and children- and his coworkers and friends in your prayers.”
Earlier Monday, Harris County officials said two people were killed by falling trees. The first was a 53-year-old man in Humble who was sitting in his home with his family when a tree fell on their roof. The second person was a 74-year-old woman in Spring who was in her bedroom when the tree fell.
Whitmire also attributed a house fire that killed a man to a lightning bolt from the storm.
In addition, one man has died in Louisiana as a result of the storm.
Officials have warned citizens to remain home as there are still dangers including high water, falling trees, hanging power lines, and power outages.
Beryl hit Texas on Monday as a category 1 hurricane, later in the day it was downgraded to a tropical Monday.
The storm claimed at least 12 lives in the Caribbean through Grenada and Carriacou, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Venezuela.
