Hospital admissions increase in Texas after power cuts caused by Hurricane Beryl 

After Hurricane Beryl left over a million people without power during a deadly heatwave, hospitals in the Houston area are now close to reaching capacity. 

In Texas, heat advisories have been issued in numerous cities. The situation is particularly dire in Houston, where temperatures are forecasted to hit 105°F (40°C) while the community still reels from the hurricane’s aftermath. Powerful winds on Monday knocked out power to over two million people, and 1.3 million residents remain without electricity.

To help residents cope, more than 100 cooling centres have been established in the Houston area. Long lines of cars at gas stations have also been reported, as people seek to use their vehicles for air conditioning.

Additionally, to address the overflow, the city’s football stadium has been repurposed into a “transitional facility,” according to Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick.

Patrick explained at a press conference that hospitals are unable to discharge patients who can’t return to powerless homes. As of Thursday, tens of millions across the U.S. were under a heat advisory, with temperatures soaring from California to Texas.

“It’s a miserable situation,” Patrick said. He described the nights as “pitch black” and the days as “hot as Hades,” noting that many people have lost access to refrigerated food.

Furthermore, the heatwave extends beyond Texas, affecting parts of the U.S. that typically enjoy milder climates, such as Oregon. Nine states, including California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and Oregon, are under heat advisories.

In California, temperatures could reach up to 120°F (49°C) in areas like Palm Springs, with the extreme heat expected to last until Saturday. A man in Sacramento died in hospital on Sunday after being found in his non-air-conditioned home during a 106°F (41°C) day.

Even in the typically cooler northern regions, triple-digit temperatures are anticipated in parts of Oregon, where ten heat-related deaths have been reported. However, further investigations are needed to confirm the exact causes. Oregon has seen more than 280 temperature records broken this year, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting.