Houston tackles cleanup after Gulf Coast storm damages city

Houston residents began cleaning up after Hurricane Beryl swept through the Gulf Coast, leaving significant damage and power outages.

Emily Foxhall reports for The Texas Tribune.


In short:

  • Hurricane Beryl, a Category 1 storm, caused extensive damage in Houston, including fallen trees, flooded streets, and power outages.
  • The storm killed at least three people and left 2.7 million Texas homes without power.
  • Residents are now assessing damage, cleaning up, and waiting for power to return.

Key quote:

“The rebuild is going to be significant. There was real damage. But the good news is for Houston, this ain’t our first rodeo.”

— Ted Cruz, U.S. Senator

Why this matters:

Houston, known for its booming energy sector and diverse population, has become a focal point for studying the impacts of severe weather. The city's low-lying geography and proximity to the Gulf of Mexico make it particularly susceptible to hurricanes and heavy rainfall. In recent years, storms like Hurricane Harvey have wreaked havoc, leaving thousands homeless and causing billions in damages.

Smiling people with signs marching in support of science.
Credit: Vlad Tchompalov/Unsplash

Judge allows Trump to cut more than $1bn in National Science Foundation grants

Court declined preliminary injunction in case brought by scientists seeking to halt purge of more than 1,600 grants.

A blue and white ship at sea with LNG written on the side of it.
Credit: BNK Naval Photographer/Big Stock Photo

Wright and Burgum urge Europe to rethink methane curbs

A new EU rule will restrict imports that exceed strict limits on methane emissions. That could be a problem for American LNG exports.
Illustration of arm "netting " smokestack emissions
Copyright: Dmitrynew83/ BigStock Photo ID: 419550961

Carbon capture – the get-out-of-jail-free card that does not actually work

Engineers have been trying to perfect the technology for years but the maximum effect it could manage is far short of what the planet needs.

Boy immersed up to nose in floodwaters

In the Pacific, unkept U.S. promises on climate cut deep

Pacific island nations have seen American pledges and attention come and go with geopolitical winds. Recent U.S. pullbacks are met with disappointment but not surprise.
aerial view of Louisiana Delta

Vanishing Bayous: On a boat at ground zero for sea level rise

Folks on Louisiana's bayous, where Big Oil is really big, know firsthand the perils of sea level rise, and a group of North Carolinians recently visited there looking to start a conversation.

3D image illustrating nuclear fusion
Copyright: Yurchanka/ BigStock Photo ID: 454747091

Department of Energy allocates $134 million for fusion funding

Most of the money will go to teams working to close the gap between the private nuclear industry and research labs and universities.
Aerial view of heavy machinery clearing a forest.
Credit: Rich Carey/Big Stock Photo

Study finds Indigenous territories of Amazon rainforest can protect humans from disease

A new study finds well-preserved areas of Amazon rainforest occupied and managed by Indigenous peoples show lower incidences of multiple diseases in the regions around them.
From our Newsroom
Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.