📷 Image Credits: Investing.com
As Hurricane Beryl intensified and approached the Texas coast near Houston, the largest ports in Texas closed operations and vessel traffic on Sunday. The ports of Corpus Christi, Houston, Galveston, Freeport, and Texas City shut down as the U.S. National Hurricane Center warned of the storm’s impact. Beryl, previously a Category 1 hurricane, was expected to strengthen into a Category 2 by landfall.
With gale force winds expected, Corpus Christi, Texas City, and Freeport, major oil export hubs, faced disruptions to their operations. The Houston ship channel, a crucial access point for public and private terminals, was also affected. The storm caused power outages for almost 14,000 customers in Texas, with energy companies like Kinder Morgan and Cheniere Energy taking precautions.
Meanwhile, the impact of Beryl was felt at refineries and production facilities. Citgo Petroleum Corp cut production at its Corpus Christi refinery, while oil producers like Shell and Chevron halted offshore platforms. The storm also prompted chemical makers like Chemours Co and energy companies like Enbridge to activate emergency plans.
In the city of Matagorda, Texas, one man was injured by wind damage, but the town escaped major destruction as residents heeded evacuation warnings. Elsewhere, Tropical Storm Beryl caused chaos in Houston, leading to fatalities, flooded highways, and power outages for millions of residents.
As the storm weakened, flights were canceled, power outages persisted, and officials warned of the continued risk of tornadoes across Texas and Louisiana. The aftermath of Hurricane Beryl is likely to bring days of restoration efforts and challenges for the affected regions, with a focus on bringing electricity back, securing infrastructure, and assessing damages.
