Thousands in Texas remain without power due to hurricane

Houston, July 28 : Thousands of people across Texas remained without power following hurricane Hanna, which made two landfalls in the US state on July 25.

Local media reported that downed power lines and trees have caused road closures across South Texas, reports Xinhua news agency.

As of Monday afternoon, American Electric Power Texas, one of the state’s largest electric providers, reported more than 58,000 power outages.

Hanna weakened into a tropical storm early Sunday morning and moved toward northern Mexico.

It was the first hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency and President Donald Trump approved a federal emergency declaration in response to Hanna, allowing for federal assistance and reimbursement for evacuation efforts and shelter support.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott previously issued a disaster declaration for 32 counties in the state.

Hanna struck the state as COVID-19 cases in South Texas continue to surge.

Abbott announced earlier that the state’s emergency response in the area would include mobile COVID-19 testing teams focused on shelters and 100 medical personnel provided by the Texas National Guard.

So far, there is no death report caused by Hanna and damage assessment and cleanup are underway in the impacted areas.

Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from IANS service.