What Happened Last Week in Texas?

Simeon Zaragoza (12th), Reporter

During  these past couple of days, something disastrous hit the state of Texas. A deadly winter cyclone hit most of the North American continent. For the United States, this deadly winter storm impacted millions of people from the midwest all the way to the east coast. For Texas, they usually don’t experience anything major in terms of winter storms. This cyclone though, damaged almost the whole entire state of texas. Texas is under a state of emergency!

 

Texas climate is very different than climates over in the northern states. Texas is very dry with most of the state being of a mediterranean climate just like Southern California. With that said, Texas doesn’t get alot of snow, especially Houston. The average snow depth in Houston texas all year round is 0 inches. Houston practically gets no snow at all. Well, 2021 definitely changed that for Texas. 

 

According to the Houston Chronicle, this winter storm brought record low temperatures across Houston and all of Texas. Houston hasn’t experienced these frigid temperatures for over 30 years. The winter storm has brought ice and snow across the area. Weather forecasters sent a winter emergency across areas of texas, advising them to not go out and to stay indoors.

 

Since the southernmost part of Texas is not used to these frigid temperatures and winter climate, the storm brought devastating consequences.  

 

On February 11th of this year, in the Dallas Fort Worth area, a 133 car pileup occurred. Due to the winter Storm icing most of the freeways in the Dallas area, 133 cars got into car accidents and 9 people died. According to fire chief Jim Davis, during an afternoon news conference, he states: “At least 65 people have sought medical treatment at local hospitals following Thursday’s pileup in Fort Worth”

 

According to the Wall Street Journal, Texas had multiple power source failures. Residents are complaining that they haven’t received any power for the past couple of days and people are starting to freeze with these frigid temperatures. Texas needs our and the communities help. 

 

If anyone wants to help Texas, you can donate to Texas’s American Red Cross facilities as well as the Salvation army. You can also donate to the Central Texas Food Bank. Even though we are not in Texas right now, there are alot of opportunities we can do to help communities in Texas. If you know any local small businesses in Texas, I would encourage you to donate to those businesses since they are struggling with no power. 

 

Here are some of the links to help donating to these Texas facilities!

 

Salvation Army: Donate to The Salvation Army USS-TEX-DHQ-General Donation Form (salvationarmytexas.org)

 

American Red Cross: Donate Now: Online Donations | American Red Cross

 

Central Texas Food Bank: Donate | Central Texas Food Bank