‘This Storm Has Broken People’: After Beryl, Some Consider Leaving

Houston Plans Exodus in the Face of Climate Calamities

Houston, the city known for enduring numerous natural disasters, finds itself in the grip of an exodus increasingly driven by back-to-back power outages within the span of merely two months. The sequence of calamities has compelled many to mull over a crucial decision – parting from the city they lovingly call home.

Hurricane Beryl: The Final Straw

The crippling blow came in the form of Hurricane Beryl, which wreaked havoc on the power infrastructure across almost every inch of the city. On its merciless arrival, a multitude of Houstonians were already seeking shelter in safe houses and hotels, as corroborated by state officials. The reason for this temporary relocation? An earlier weather debacle, the spring thunderstorms, which had left behind a trail of extensive wind damages and flooding.

Traversing through Houston post-disasters presents a sight hard to digest. It’s almost indistinguishable to ascertain which storm caused which wreckage — may it be the highway billboards, the fences, or the trees still embellishing the roadsides with a grim reminder of their uprooting. What tenants of this city do remember is the painstaking duration devoid of electricity post the initial calamity, only to experience the blackout encore.

For many, this presented a second act of food spoilage, an unbearable encounter with rising temperatures, and a compulsory drafting of emergency plans. Property damages from the brutal May storm were still awaiting repairs when Beryl barged in as a Category 1 hurricane, leaving many overwhelmed.

Residents Decry Conditions, Plan Departures

“I’m just done,” remarked Stephanie Fuqua, a 52-year-old resident who had made Houston her home since 2015 and is now making plans to depart in the upcoming fall. Fuqua had weathered her share of hardships. Her abode had succumbed to flooding during the infamous 2017 Hurricane Harvey. The statewide power grid collapse in the harsh winter of 2021 saw her shudder under layers of blankets for three agonizing days.

Even after braving these tumultuous episodes of adversity, the latest onslaught of weather disasters, stripping her off electricity and leaving her to survive in an unbearable heat, has pushed her patience to its limit.