Hundreds lined up outside Houston’s Bayland Community Center for ice, military style rations and water. Local officials are still trying to get more aid to those without electricity.
Harris County Commissioner Lesley Briones, whose office is coordinating this effort, spoke to those waiting in line.
"We’re projected to have a very turbulent hurricane season, and a storm of this magnitude should not knock out power to so many," said Briones.
Hundreds of thousands in greater Houston may continue to have no electricity at home.
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Houston resident Enrique Pineda said he and his family go to the dozens of cooling centers for air conditioning. He spoke of having no power after Hurricane Beryl, as well as none after the deep freeze of 2021 that brought Texas’ electric grid to near collapse.
People like him living in southwest Houston, hit by a barrage of hurricane-related storm outages are weary of promises by the electricity provider.
CenterPoint, the utility in charge of the majority of power for the nation’s fourth-largest city, has been the target of local anxiety — not just from residents, but also politicians.
"We hope to have 80% of our customers restored by Sunday and the remaining customers are going to be the hardest-hit customers that have trees down. It's not a quick fix," said Paul Locke, spokesperson for CenterPoint Energy.
The anger towards the power company got so bad, police in suburban Fort Bend County arrested a man for pulling a BB gun on a line worker.
Leaders are hoping cooler heads prevail and recovery continues, unlike the oppressive heat and humidity.
