Updated 5 am Friday
May 17, 2024 (5:00 am) — CenterPoint Energy estimates Friday morning that more than 700,000 customers (about 36%) are without power in Harris County (the Houston area) — or approaching 800,000 in Southeast Texas as a whole — after severe storms moved through late Thursday afternoon, causing severe damage to electrical infrastructure in some areas.
The number of CenterPoint customers without power is down from Thursday night’s estimate of more than 800,000 in Harris County after all-night work by the transmission provider and workers from outside areas.
There is no estimate yet on when electricity might be restored to many customers, and there are reports of at least two high-tension power line towers down in Northwest Harris County.
A number of roads in the county have been impassible; workers were clearing them all night and continued into the dawn hours.
CenterPoint and multiple county officials said late Thursday that they will be making assessments of damage and expected repair times on Friday morning.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire said at 9:45 pm Thursday that “damage is widespread,” calling for city residents to stay home on Friday, especially those who work in the Downtown Houston area, where there has been a widespread loss of windows in skyscrapers.
Portions of the central business district are to be closed on Friday as streets are littered with glass shards from high-rise windows.
Witnesses in Downtown Houston say a number of windows were blown out at the CenterPoint Energy Plaza building.
Windows were blown out at the TotalEnergies building, according to witnesses on social media.
Authorities as of 9:20 pm estimated four people have been killed as a result of the storms.
Some people in the Cypress area of NW Harris County have shared video of a tornado that touched down nearby.
Winds in excess of 80 mph are estimated to have blown through certain areas of Houston, according to the latest Wednesday night estimates. (The National Weather Service says the estimate will likely go higher after reports are filed.)
A portion of the roof at the downtown Hyatt Regency hotel was blown off by strong winds, one witness said, and some rain has been pouring into the lobby, social media video showed.