Deadly snowstorm hits northeastern US with epicenter in Texas

Frozen pipes, power cut, bypassed heating, contaminated water. Millions of people in Texas They remained on Thursday in a state of emergency, without electricity, gas or water due to a violent storm of snow in this southern state which is not used to such low temperatures and whose infrastructure had collapsed. Heavy snowfall was hitting the center of the country and also moving towards the East Coast: it has already started to snow in Washington, Philadelphia and Baltimore, and the storm is expected to be strong in New York. So far, at least 38 deaths have been recorded in the United States, most of them in Texas.

Temperatures have dropped drastically in this state, which is the country’s energy enclave par excellence and which is not used to experiencing such heavy snowfall or seeing the thermometer drop below zero degrees. The storms started on Tuesday and million continued this Thursday without electricity and with a drinking water crisis because winter storms devastated the electricity grid and water treatment plants.

Las autoridades texanas ordenaron a siete millones de personas –25% of the inhabitants of the segundo estado más grande del país – que hiervan agua de la canilla antes de beberla, luego de días de históricas temperaturas bajas que causaron daños en la infraestructura y congelaron pipes. Water ran out in supermarkets, where there were blocks of queues, and recipes on how to melt snow in pots with firewood or optimize the use of gas broadcast in the media.

In Austin, even some hospitals suffered from low drinking water pressure and other consequences of the cold and they came to facilitate the chemical baths to alleviate the problem. The coronavirus vaccination plan has been suspended.

Families who couldn’t stand the cold at home fell asleep in their cars. Most of the deaths have been recorded from carbon monoxide poisoning by people starting the car in closed areas or with the tailpipe covered in snow.

In addition, the storm in Texas also caused other collateral damage. Faced with the collapse of power, Texas Governor Greg Abbott made the decision to suspend gas exports to Mexico and the government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador had to call ration supply in the midst of the cold wave that is also affecting his country.

The shutdown of Texas natural gas exports to Mexico, which account for 70% of that country’s consumption and 50% of total electricity production, is also a blow to the industry, especially the automotive sector. on which it depends largely on this supply.

The storm also sparked a major political scandal as Texas Senator Ted Cruz went on vacation to Cancun amidst thousands of his compatriots in dire situations. Cruz, an ultra-conservative Aliado Trumpista who is a potential candidate for the White House in 2024, admitted to visiting the Mexican resort only after a photo of him (wearing jeans and a baseball cap) and his family were released in the plane taken by a passenger.

In a statement, he later explained that he had accompanied his family after his daughters requested to go on a trip with friends because classes were suspended for the rest of the week. “I wanted to be a good father, I flew with them last night and I’m going home this afternoon, ”said Cruz when the scandal had already worsened.

“My staff and I are in constant contact with national and local authorities investigate thoroughly what happened in Texas, ”said Cruz. “We want them to give us back our electricity, our water, the heating of our houses,” he added.

But many had already defenestrated it. Democrats have asked him to resign, even his fellow Republicans are demanding an explanation. State Republican Party Chairman Allen West was asked if it was appropriate for Cruz to go on a trip at this time. “You will have to answer this question to your constituents”, He said. “I’m trying here to take care of my family and take care of my friends and others who still don’t have electricity,” West said.

In the east of the country, the storm was starting to make itself felt. Snow and ice showers were already falling in Washington DC, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut and New York.

Machines moved forward to clear roads and dump tons of salt to prevent frost and accidents. In the Big Apple, we expected up to six inches of snow, but without strong winds. Although the city is closing some outdoor restaurants due to the storm, other services, such as the city’s coronavirus vaccination sites, would remain opensaid Mayor Bill De Blasio. But weather problems across the country continued to delay shipments of new doses.

PB