Millions of people are without power as Texas faces one of the worst storms in its history, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo told CNBC’s “The News with Shepard Smith.”
“We’re actually seeing the winter version of Hurricane Harvey,” Hidalgo said. “It’s an incredibly tragic situation”
More than a dozen people in Texas have died as a result of exposure to elements, and several have died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning, Hidalgo said. She said that due to power cuts, people have tried to run the heat from their cars into their garages, which she says contributed to the more than 300 calls about carbon monoxide poisoning the county received.
According to reports, more than four million Texas residents have no power after a historic snowfall and single-digit temperatures. Freezing temperatures fueled an increased demand for electricity which, along with the temperatures, collapsed the state’s power grid and caused widespread power outages. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has already called for an investigation by the Texas Electric Reliability Council, which manages the state’s electrical grid.
Authorities are telling citizens to boil their water as widespread water outages are also expected to come. The state expects to face persistent freezing temperatures in the coming days.
The outage sparked growing outrage and demands from Texas residents. Hidalgo said regional counties have received no answers from government officials about when residents can expect power.
“The challenge is that I can’t tell my residents that the power will be back anytime soon because the government agency doesn’t have a clear plan on when exactly they will get that generation – that production,” Hidalgo said, referring to power restoration. “Much of this is a man-made disaster because of that government agency.”
Winter weather has led several states, including Texas, to shut down vaccine sites.