Months after Tropical Depression Chantal ripped through central North Carolina, a Chapel Hill family is still facing uncertainty as they move from one hotel to another during the coldest air in months.
Since then, he says their situation has gotten worse
“It’s been very stressful. Not being in my home. And it’s been very rough for us to maintain a place to live,” Alston said.
After the floodwaters receded in July, Habitat for Humanity stepped in to assist with repairs to the home he and his wife owned for more than 35 years. However, the organization determined that the damage was beyond repair.
Habitat for Humanity offered the couple a newly built home, but being 75 years old, Alston did not believe signing up for a 30-year mortgage would be sustainable.
Alston’s pleas come as central North Carolina is expected to have the coldest air of the season. WRAL meteorologists said Monday, Dec. 15, will be a WRAL Weather Alert Day due to wind chills in the single digits.
Alston said his wife has health issues, and lost her mobility scooter in the storm. He says not having a home has only made her health worse.
“I think it has affected her quite a bit. She’s having more health problems than she did in the past,” said Alston.
WRAL reached out to local lawmakers in Chapel Hill asking about any available resources to help the family.
WRAL News also contacted Habitat for Humanity. According to the organization, a representative said months ago that they would be reaching out to the family to discuss options after the family declined to have a new home built.
The Alstons said that the call never came.
The reality of spending another holiday away from home weighs heavily on the Alston family. For the first time in 35 years, Christmas will not be celebrated in the comfort of their own home, but rather in the impersonal setting of a hotel room.
The family has started a GoFundMe to help with hotel expenses, and to repair their home. Click here for more information.
Raleigh police officer Raul Francis calls his family almost daily.
After Monday, those calls have gone unanswered. Francis is trying to reach his parents in Jamaica and hasn’t heard from them since Hurricane Melissa left a path of destruction across the island nation.
“It just keeps ringing,” Francis said.
Melissa made landfall this week as a powerful Category 5 hurricane.
“I’m pretty much concerned,” Francis said. “However, I believe they are OK. It’s just that they don’t have power or internet service at this time.”
It’s a reality that many people in North Carolina with ties to Jamaica are facing.
Jamaican native and Rocky Mount resident Zabdiel Dawar got good news Thursday, days after the storm hit.
Minutes before an interview with WRAL News, Dawar received a long-awaited call from his mother in Jamaica letting him know she is doing well.
“I was just screaming when I saw mommy’s face,” Dawar said. “My mother is a praying lady, and she said during the entire ordeal that’s all she did was pray.”
Francis prays for a similar call and, in the meantime, is still answering calls for service.
“Even though I have my family on my mind, hoping that they’re OK, I still have to be levelheaded and try to make sure I’m focusing on the job at hand,” Francis said.
Francis hopes he’ll hear from loved ones soon as the destruction comes into better focus.
“I just want them to know that I love them, and I hope they’re OK,” Francis said. “That’s pretty much the most important thing right now.”
Hurricane Melissa brought dangerous flooding and storm surge to Cuba on Wednesday after leaving Jamaica with widespread power outages and causing flooding that killed 25 people in Haiti, officials say.Jean Bertrand Subrème, mayor of the southern Haitian coastal town of Petit-Goâve, told The Associated Press that 25 people died after La Digue river burst its banks and flooded nearby homes.Dozens of homes collapsed and people were still trapped under rubble as of Wednesday morning, he said.“I am overwhelmed by the situation,” he said as he pleaded with the government to help rescue victims.Only one official from Haiti’s Civil Protection Agency was in the area, with residents struggling to evacuate amid heavy floodwaters unleashed by Hurricane Melissa in recent days.At least one death was reported in Jamaica, where Melissa roared ashore Tuesday with top sustained winds of 185 mph, one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record. A tree fell on a baby in the island nation’s west, state minister Abka Fitz-Henley told local radio station Nationwide News Network, adding that most destruction was concentrated in the southwest and northwest.“That was hell. All night long, it was terrible,” said Reinaldo Charon in Santiago de Cuba. The 52-year-old was one of the few people venturing out Wednesday, covered by a plastic sheet in the intermittent rain.Parts of Granma province, especially the municipal capital, Jiguaní, were underwater, said Gov. Yanetsy Terry Gutiérrez. More than 15 inches of rain was reported in Jiguaní’s settlement of Charco Redondo.Officials reported collapsed houses, blocked mountain roads and roofs blown off. Authorities said about 735,000 people remained in shelters in eastern Cuba. Melissa had top sustained winds of 100 mph, a Category 2 storm, and was moving northeast at 14 mph according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami. The hurricane was centered about 150 miles south of the central Bahamas.Melissa was forecast to continue weakening as it crossed Cuba but remain strong as it moves across the southeastern or central Bahamas later Wednesday. It was expected to make its way late Thursday near or to the west of Bermuda. Haiti and the Turks and Caicos also braced for its effects.The storm was expected to generate a surge of up to 12 feet in the region and drop up to 20 inches of rain in parts of eastern Cuba. Intense rain could cause life-threatening flooding with numerous landslides, U.S. forecasters said.Jamaica rushes to assess the damageJamaican officials reported complications in assessing the damage, while the National Hurricane Center said the local government had lifted the tropical storm warning.“There’s a total communication blackout on that side,” Richard Thompson, acting director general of Jamaica’s Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, told the Nationwide News Network. More than half a million customers were without power late Tuesday.Extensive damage was reported in parts of Clarendon in the south and in the southwestern parish of St. Elizabeth, which was “underwater,” said Desmond McKenzie, deputy chairman of Jamaica’s Disaster Risk Management Council. He said the storm damaged four hospitals and left one without power, forcing officials to evacuate 75 patients.Video above: Jamaican police station turned into shelter in hard-hit areaSanta Cruz town in St. Elizabeth parish was devastated. A landslide blocked main roads. Streets were reduced to mud pits. Residents swept water from homes as they tried to salvage belongings. Winds ripped off part of the roof at St. Elizabeth Technical High School, a designated public shelter.“I never see anything like this before in all my years living here,” resident Jennifer Small said.“The entire hillside came down last night,” said another resident, Robert James.The government said it hopes to reopen all of Jamaica’s airports as early as Thursday to ensure quick distribution of emergency relief supplies.The U.S. government said it was deploying a disaster response team and search and rescue personnel to the region. And the State Department said non-emergency personnel and family members of U.S. government employees were authorized to leave Jamaica because of the storm’s impact.
SANTIAGO DE CUBA, Cuba —
Hurricane Melissa brought dangerous flooding and storm surge to Cuba on Wednesday after leaving Jamaica with widespread power outages and causing flooding that killed 25 people in Haiti, officials say.
Jean Bertrand Subrème, mayor of the southern Haitian coastal town of Petit-Goâve, told The Associated Press that 25 people died after La Digue river burst its banks and flooded nearby homes.
Dozens of homes collapsed and people were still trapped under rubble as of Wednesday morning, he said.
“I am overwhelmed by the situation,” he said as he pleaded with the government to help rescue victims.
Only one official from Haiti’s Civil Protection Agency was in the area, with residents struggling to evacuate amid heavy floodwaters unleashed by Hurricane Melissa in recent days.
At least one death was reported in Jamaica, where Melissa roared ashore Tuesday with top sustained winds of 185 mph, one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record. A tree fell on a baby in the island nation’s west, state minister Abka Fitz-Henley told local radio station Nationwide News Network, adding that most destruction was concentrated in the southwest and northwest.
“That was hell. All night long, it was terrible,” said Reinaldo Charon in Santiago de Cuba. The 52-year-old was one of the few people venturing out Wednesday, covered by a plastic sheet in the intermittent rain.
Parts of Granma province, especially the municipal capital, Jiguaní, were underwater, said Gov. Yanetsy Terry Gutiérrez. More than 15 inches of rain was reported in Jiguaní’s settlement of Charco Redondo.
Officials reported collapsed houses, blocked mountain roads and roofs blown off. Authorities said about 735,000 people remained in shelters in eastern Cuba.
Melissa had top sustained winds of 100 mph, a Category 2 storm, and was moving northeast at 14 mph according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami. The hurricane was centered about 150 miles south of the central Bahamas.
Melissa was forecast to continue weakening as it crossed Cuba but remain strong as it moves across the southeastern or central Bahamas later Wednesday. It was expected to make its way late Thursday near or to the west of Bermuda. Haiti and the Turks and Caicos also braced for its effects.
The storm was expected to generate a surge of up to 12 feet in the region and drop up to 20 inches of rain in parts of eastern Cuba. Intense rain could cause life-threatening flooding with numerous landslides, U.S. forecasters said.
Jamaica rushes to assess the damage
Jamaican officials reported complications in assessing the damage, while the National Hurricane Center said the local government had lifted the tropical storm warning.
“There’s a total communication blackout on that side,” Richard Thompson, acting director general of Jamaica’s Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, told the Nationwide News Network. More than half a million customers were without power late Tuesday.
Extensive damage was reported in parts of Clarendon in the south and in the southwestern parish of St. Elizabeth, which was “underwater,” said Desmond McKenzie, deputy chairman of Jamaica’s Disaster Risk Management Council. He said the storm damaged four hospitals and left one without power, forcing officials to evacuate 75 patients.
Video above: Jamaican police station turned into shelter in hard-hit area
Santa Cruz town in St. Elizabeth parish was devastated. A landslide blocked main roads. Streets were reduced to mud pits. Residents swept water from homes as they tried to salvage belongings. Winds ripped off part of the roof at St. Elizabeth Technical High School, a designated public shelter.
“I never see anything like this before in all my years living here,” resident Jennifer Small said.
“The entire hillside came down last night,” said another resident, Robert James.
The government said it hopes to reopen all of Jamaica’s airports as early as Thursday to ensure quick distribution of emergency relief supplies.
The U.S. government said it was deploying a disaster response team and search and rescue personnel to the region. And the State Department said non-emergency personnel and family members of U.S. government employees were authorized to leave Jamaica because of the storm’s impact.
Hurricane Melissa downgraded to Category 4 as it moves over Jamaica – CBS News
Watch CBS News
The National Hurricane Center has downgraded Hurricane Melissa to a Category 4 storm after it made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday afternoon as a Category 5. CBS News meteorologist Zoe Mintz has the latest.
Damage to remote Alaska villages hammered by flooding last weekend is so extreme that many of the more than 2,000 people displaced won’t be able to return to their homes for at least 18 months, Gov. Mike Dunleavy said in a request to the White House for a major disaster declaration.
In one of the hardest hit villages, Kipnuk, an initial assessment showed that 121 homes — or 90% of the total — have been destroyed, Dunleavy wrote. In Kwigillingok, where three dozen homes floated away, slightly more than one-third of the residences are uninhabitable.
The remnants of Typhoon Halong struck the area with the ferocity of a Category 2 hurricane, Dunleavy said, sending a surge of high surf into the low-lying region. One person was killed, two remain missing, and rescue crews plucked dozens of people from their homes as they floated away.
In this photo provided by the Alaska National Guard, Sgt. Mary Miller, a helicopter crew chief, passes a bottle of water to a child while evacuating displaced people from Kwigillingok, Alaska, during recovery operations on Oct. 16, 2025.
Joseph Moon/Alaska National Guard via AP
Officials have been scrambling to airlift people from the inundated Alaska Native villages. More than 2,000 people across the region have taken shelter — either in schools in their villages, or in larger communities in southwest Alaska — or have been evacuated by military planes to Anchorage, the state’s largest city.
Anchorage leaders said Friday they expect as many as 1,600 evacuees to arrive. So far about 575 have been airlifted to the city by the Alaska National Guard and have been staying at a sports arena or a convention center. Additional flights were expected Friday and Saturday.
Officials are working on figuring out how to move people out of shelters and into short-term accommodations, such as hotels, and then longer-term housing.
“Due to the time, space, distance, geography, and weather in the affected areas, it is likely that many survivors will be unable to return to their communities this winter,” Dunleavy said. “Agencies are prioritizing rapid repairs … but it is likely that some damaged communities will not be viable to support winter occupancy, in America’s harshest climate in the U.S. Arctic.”
The Alaska National Guard C-17 Globemaster III evacuates approximately 300 displaced western Alaska residents from Bethel, Alaska, following Typhoon Halong. Oct. 15, 2025.
Alaska National Guard/Anadolu via Getty Images
The federal government has already been assisting with search and rescue, damage assessments, environmental response and evacuation support. A major disaster declaration by President Trump could provide federal assistance programs for individuals and public infrastructure, including money for emergency and permanent work.
In a social media post Friday morning, Vice President JD Vance wrote that “President Trump & I are closely tracking the storm devastation that resulted in over 1,000 citizens being airlifted out of Alaska villages. Alaskans, our prayers are with you and your federal government is working closely with” Dunleavy and Sen. Dan Sullivan “to get you the help you need.”
The three members of Alaska’s congressional delegation on Friday sent a letter to Mr. Trump, urging swift approval.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Friday night that he had deployed resources and “emergency management personnel” to Alaska in response to a request for assistance from Alaska’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
The personnel will “assist the State of Alaska’s Emergency Operations Center and field operations in a variety of roles, including voluntary agency coordination as well as volunteer and donations management,” Abbott’s office said in a news release.
The storm surge pummeled a sparsely populated region off the state’s main road system, where communities are reachable only by air or water this time of year. The villages typically have just a few hundred residents, who hunt and fish for much of their food, and relocating to the state’s major cities will bring a vastly different lifestyle.
Alexie Stone, of Kipnuk, arrived in Anchorage in a military jet with his brothers, children and mom, after his home was struck by the flooding. They’ve been staying at the Alaska Airlines Center at the University of Alaska, where the Red Cross provided evacuees with cots, blankets and hygiene supplies.
At least for the foreseeable future, he thinks he might try to find a job at a grocery store; he used to work in one in Bethel.
“It’s going to be, try to look for a place and find a job,” Stone said Friday. “We’re starting a new life here in Anchorage.”
Anchorage officials and business leaders said Friday they were eager to help the evacuees.
“Our neighbors in western Alaska have experienced tremendous loss, devastation and grief,” Mayor Suzanne LaFrance said at a meeting of the Anchorage Assembly. “We will do everything we can here in Anchorage to welcome our neighbors and help them through these difficult times.”
LaFrance later Friday signed an emergency proclamation “to help support the state’s ongoing emergency response to Typhoon Halong in Western Alaska, which brought unprecedented flooding that destroyed large amounts of property and displaced hundreds of our fellow Alaskans from their homes.”
State Rep. Nellie Unangiq Jimmie, of Toksook Bay, on an island northwest of Kipnuk, described for the assembly how she rode out the storm’s 100 mph winds with her daughter and niece.
“We had no choice but to sit in our home and wait to see if our house is going to come off the foundation or if debris is going to bust open our windows,” she said.
It didn’t, but others weren’t as fortunate. She thanked Anchorage for welcoming the evacuees.
“You are showing my people, my relatives, my constituents, even if they are far from home, this is still Alaska land and they’re amongst families,” Jimmie said.
Eastern Iowa residents are bracing for another round of severe weather as KWWL Storm Track 7 meteorologists have issued a Red Alert for strong to severe thunderstorms expected to sweep through the region late tonight and into the early morning hours.
The storms, which are forecast to move quickly southeast after midnight, pose a significant threat with damaging winds and heavy rainfall being the primary concerns for residents across the viewing area.
Current Weather Conditions and Immediate Threats
According to the latest forecast from KWWL’s weather team, conditions are ripe for severe weather development. The current temperature sits at 80°F with 83% humidity and 64% cloud coverage, creating an unstable atmosphere conducive to storm formation.
Chief Meteorologist Mark Schnackenberg and the Storm Track 7 team warn that these storms could produce:
Damaging winds up to 85 mph in isolated areas
Heavy rainfall leading to potential flash flooding
Large hail up to 1.5 inches in diameter
Isolated tornado activity possible
Extended Forecast Shows Continued Unsettled Pattern
The severe weather threat doesn’t end with tonight’s storms. KWWL meteorologists are tracking multiple disturbances that will continue to impact Eastern Iowa through midweek.
Tuesday’s Outlook: Following early morning isolated showers and storms, skies will turn mostly sunny with humid conditions persisting. High temperatures will range from 84-93°F with northwest winds at 5-10 mph.
Tuesday Night: A 50% chance of rain and storms returns, with some potentially producing strong gusty winds and heavy rain. Overnight lows will drop to 65-70°F.
Wednesday: Cloudy conditions dominate with rain and isolated storms throughout the day. Cooler temperatures provide some relief with highs only reaching 73-76°F.
Heat Advisory Remains in Effect
Adding to weather concerns, a Heat Advisory continues for portions of northern and eastern Iowa. Heat index values are expected to reach 105-110°F during afternoon and evening hours.
The National Weather Service urges residents to take precautions:
Drink plenty of fluids throughout the day
Stay in air-conditioned rooms when possible
Avoid prolonged sun exposure
Check on elderly neighbors and relatives
Never leave children or pets in vehicles
Cedar River Flood Warning Continues
The Cedar River at Cedar Falls remains under a flood warning until tomorrow evening. Minor flooding is occurring with the river stage at 89.7 feet as of Sunday evening.
Water is affecting roads at 1712 and 1118 Cottage Row Road. The river is expected to fall below flood stage early tomorrow afternoon and continue receding to 82.9 feet by August 3rd.
Storm Damage and Power Outages Reported
Recent severe storms have already left their mark across Eastern Iowa. Sunday night’s storms caused widespread power outages and damage across several counties, disrupting daily life for thousands of residents.
Emergency management officials continue to assess damage and coordinate cleanup efforts in the hardest-hit areas.
KWWL Storm Track 7: Eastern Iowa’s Most Accurate Weather Team
WeatheRate, an independent research company, has certified the KWWL Storm Track 7 Weather Team as the most accurate in Eastern Iowa. The team includes Chief Meteorologist Mark Schnackenberg, along with meteorologists Kyle Kiel, Brandon Libby, and Joie Bettenhausen.
“What’s most important is that our viewers know they can trust us and rest assured they are getting the most accurate forecast in Eastern Iowa,” Schnackenberg stated.
Staying Informed During Severe Weather
KWWL provides multiple platforms for residents to stay updated on weather conditions:
StormTrack7 Mobile App: Available for Android and iOS devices with push notifications for severe weather alerts
Interactive Radar: Access 250-meter resolution radar at kwwl.com/weather
Live Streaming: Watch breaking weather coverage on the KWWL website
Social Media: Follow @KWWLStormTrack7 for real-time updates
Safety Reminders for Tonight’s Storms
As severe weather approaches, residents should review their safety plans:
Identify the lowest level of your home away from windows
Keep flashlights, batteries, and weather radios readily accessible
Charge all mobile devices before storms arrive
Avoid camping or outdoor activities tonight
Monitor weather alerts throughout the night
The KWWL Storm Track 7 team will provide continuous coverage throughout this severe weather event, with extended coverage during the 10 PM newscast and breaking weather updates as conditions warrant.
For the latest weather information, road conditions, and closings, visit kwwl.com or download the StormTrack7 app.
It’s been almost a month since Hurricane Milton battered Florida, and some homeowners in Brevard County are still in the middle of cleanup and repairs.”Sometimes people come, and they don’t have all the equipment they need, and they’re not prepared,” said a Cocoa Beach homeowner. “If it hadn’t been for the tornado, I don’t think this area at least wouldn’t have the damage that it had.”The county’s public information officer Rachel Horst said the damage assessment report shows at least 723 properties were impacted by the storm. Thirty-two of them received major damage, with most being in the Cocoa Beach area. Homeowners said that while they are trying to stay patient, getting repair help is taking longer than expected. “Obviously dealing with insurance and getting builders and contractors in,” said Gary Sorohan, a homeowner in Cocoa Beach. “Although we’ve got quite a lot of damage there are people worse off than us, so I don’t think some of our neighbors will be back to normal before four or six months at least. I’m hoping we get done by Christmas.”The county said, so far, FEMA has set aside $2 million to help 650 households. It may cover temporary housing, hotel stays and some repairs. “We just got to stay as patient as we can even though it’s frustrating and hope that things move on relatively quickly,” Sorohan said.Owners of properties that suffered damage from Milton are encouraged to register for FEMA assistance.
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. —
It’s been almost a month since Hurricane Milton battered Florida, and some homeowners in Brevard County are still in the middle of cleanup and repairs.
“Sometimes people come, and they don’t have all the equipment they need, and they’re not prepared,” said a Cocoa Beach homeowner. “If it hadn’t been for the tornado, I don’t think this area at least wouldn’t have the damage that it had.”
The county’s public information officer Rachel Horst said the damage assessment report shows at least 723 properties were impacted by the storm. Thirty-two of them received major damage, with most being in the Cocoa Beach area.
Homeowners said that while they are trying to stay patient, getting repair help is taking longer than expected.
“Obviously dealing with insurance and getting builders and contractors in,” said Gary Sorohan, a homeowner in Cocoa Beach. “Although we’ve got quite a lot of damage there are people worse off than us, so I don’t think some of our neighbors will be back to normal before four or six months at least. I’m hoping we get done by Christmas.”
The county said, so far, FEMA has set aside $2 million to help 650 households. It may cover temporary housing, hotel stays and some repairs.
“We just got to stay as patient as we can even though it’s frustrating and hope that things move on relatively quickly,” Sorohan said.
Owners of properties that suffered damage from Milton are encouraged to register for FEMA assistance.
A new pass in Englewood has been formed by Hurricane Milton’s strong winds and storm surge, according to The Weather Channel.The storm cut a new pass through a barrier island, which happened two weeks after Helene ripped open Midnight Pass on Siesta Key, The Weather Channel wrote. Meteorologist Matt Devitt said that Hurricane Helene started the path and Hurricane Milton finished it. The pass is about 8 to 10 feet deep, he said. Hurricane Milton made landfall on Florida’s west coast on Oct. 9 as a Category 3 storm, leaving behind a trail of destruction.Related: Hurricane Milton ravaged one of the most popular areas for ‘snowbirds’ on Florida’s Gulf Coast
CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. —
A new pass in Englewood has been formed by Hurricane Milton’s strong winds and storm surge, according to The Weather Channel.
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In Englewood, Stump Pass is no more. It’s now Stump Island and only accessible by boat. There is a new pass, “Milton Pass” where the hurricane removed part of the barrier island. Milton Pass is 10 foot deep. Here is the before (Google) and the after (NOAA survey). pic.twitter.com/asQbKdaXyD
The storm cut a new pass through a barrier island, which happened two weeks after Helene ripped open Midnight Pass on Siesta Key, The Weather Channel wrote.
Meteorologist Matt Devitt said that Hurricane Helene started the path and Hurricane Milton finished it. The pass is about 8 to 10 feet deep, he said.
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Hurricane Milton made landfall on Florida’s west coast on Oct. 9 as a Category 3 storm, leaving behind a trail of destruction.
President Biden on Sunday announced $600 million in aid for areas affected by Hurricanes Milton and Helene as he toured Florida’s St. Pete Beach region that was damaged by the storm.
“This is all a team effort, folks. it made a big difference,” Mr. Biden said. “And it saved lives. But there’s much more to do, and we’re going to do everything we can to get power back in your homes, not only helping you recover, but to help you build back stronger.”
Mr. Biden thanked local officials, first responders and healthcare workers for their help, and emphasized that “in moments like this, we come together, not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans. … We are one United States.”
He also said he knew “how devastating it is to lose your home,” as years ago his Delaware home was struck by lightning and was damaged. News reports from that time said the strike resulted in a small fire in the kitchen that was contained within 20 minutes.
Energy Secretary Granholm also spoke, along with a few local officials.
Mr. Biden’s visit to Florida offers him another opportunity to press Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson to get lawmakers to provide more funding before the Nov. 5 election. Johnson has said the issue will be dealt with after the election.
Mr. Biden departed early Sunday morning, with FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell among those traveling aboard Air Force One.
Biden announces more than $600 million in aid
“I think Speaker Johnson is going to get the message that he’s got to step up, particularly for small businesses,” Mr. Biden told reporters on Friday as he and Harris met with aides to discuss the federal response to hurricanes Milton and Helene. Biden and Johnson have yet to discuss the matter directly.
In Florida, Mr. Biden announced $612 million for six Department of Energy projects in areas affected by the hurricanes to improve the resilience of the region’s electric grid, the White House said. The funding includes $94 million for two projects in Florida: $47 million for Gainesville Regional Utilities and $47 million for Switched Source to partner with Florida Power and Light.
“We are one United States”
Mr. Biden spoke of government relief efforts “from state and local to FEMA to us, Coast Guard Army Corps of Engineers, the Energy Department, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Defense, just to name a few.
“FEMA has delivered 1.2 million meals over 300,000 liters of water, 2 million gallons of fuel, and so far, we’ve installed 100 satellite terminals to restore communications in impacted areas, so families can talk to contact their loved ones to be sure everything’s okay, and be able to reach out for help as well.
“Speaking of help, so far, we opened 10 disaster recovery centers in Florida with more to come. So people can have one stop to meet with officials, get the federal help they’re entitled to.” He said direct, immediate financial aid was available including no-interest loans, mortgage relief and more.
For a fuller list of disaster relief programs, residents can go online to disaster assistance.gov, or call 1-800-621-FEMA.
Recent hurricanes and the government response have added another layer to the presidential race
With less than four weeks to go before Election Day, the hurricanes have added another dimension to the closely contested presidential race.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has said the Biden administration’s storm response had been lacking, particularly in North Carolina after Hurricane Helene. And Mr. Biden and Harris have hammered Trump for promoting falsehoods about the federal response.
Trump made a series of false claims after Helene struck in late September, including incorrectly saying that the federal government is intentionally withholding aid to Republican disaster victims. He also falsely claimed the Federal Emergency Management Agency had run out of money because all of it had gone to programs for immigrants in the country illegally.
Mr. Biden has said Trump was “not singularly” to blame for the spread of false claims in recent weeks but that he has the “biggest mouth.”
Homeland Security chief warns FEMA is running out of relief funds
The president is pressing for swift action by Congress to make sure the Small Business Administration and FEMA have the money they need to get through hurricane season, which ends Nov. 30 in the Atlantic. He said Friday that Milton alone had caused an estimated $50 billion in damages.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said last week that FEMA will be able to meet “immediate needs” caused by the two storms. But he warned in the aftermath of Helene that the agency does not have enough funding to make it through the hurricane season.
But Johnson has pushed back, saying the agencies have enough money for the time being and that lawmakers will address the funding issue during the lame-duck session after the election.
Harris, DeSantis trade accusations about storm response
Also percolating in the background are tensions between Harris and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. As Helene barreled toward Florida last week, the Democratic vice president and Republican governor traded accusations that the other was trying to politicize the federal storm response.
Harris’ office last week suggested that DeSantis was dodging her phone calls. DeSantis responded that he was unaware she had called and grumbled that she hadn’t been involved in the federal government’s response before she became the Democratic presidential nominee.
Mr. Biden, for his part, said he hoped to see DeSantis on Sunday, if the governor’s schedule permitted.
“He’s been very cooperative,” Mr. Biden said about DeSantis. He added, “We got on very, very well.”
DeSantis said Saturday that he had no details about the president’s visit.
During Sunday’s visit, Biden called the storm recovery “a team effort, folks. It made a big difference and it saved lives. But there’s much more to do. And we’re going to do everything we can to get power back in your homes, not only helping you recover, but to help you build back stronger.”
“Earlier this morning, I did an aerial tour of St. Petersburg and the battered coastline,” said Biden. “I flew over Tropicana Field and … the roof is almost completely off. But, thank God, not many people were injured. I spoke to first responders were working around the clock. I also met with small business owners here and homeowners who have taken a real beating [with] back-to-back storms. And they’re heartbroken and exhausted, and their expenses are piling up.”
President Joe Biden speaks following a briefing by federal, state, and local officials in St. Pete Beach, Fla., during a tour of areas affected by Hurricane Milton, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024.
President Biden on Sunday announced $600 million in aid for areas affected by Hurricanes Milton and Helene as he toured Florida’s St. Pete Beach region that was damaged by the storm.
“This is all a team effort, folks. it made a big difference,” Mr. Biden said. “And it saved lives. But there’s much more to do, and we’re going to do everything we can to get power back in your homes, not only helping you recover, but to help you build back stronger.”
Mr. Biden thanked local officials, first responders and healthcare workers for their help, and emphasized that “in moments like this, we come together, not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans. … We are one United States.”
He also said he knew “how devastating it is to lose your home,” as years ago his Delaware home was struck by lightning and was damaged. News reports from that time said the strike resulted in a small fire in the kitchen that was contained within 20 minutes.
Energy Secretary Granholm also spoke, along with a few local officials.
Mr. Biden’s visit to Florida offers him another opportunity to press Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson to get lawmakers to provide more funding before the Nov. 5 election. Johnson has said the issue will be dealt with after the election.
Mr. Biden departed early Sunday morning, with FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell among those traveling aboard Air Force One.
Biden announces more than $600 million in aid
“I think Speaker Johnson is going to get the message that he’s got to step up, particularly for small businesses,” Mr. Biden told reporters on Friday as he and Harris met with aides to discuss the federal response to hurricanes Milton and Helene. Biden and Johnson have yet to discuss the matter directly.
In Florida, Mr. Biden announced $612 million for six Department of Energy projects in areas affected by the hurricanes to improve the resilience of the region’s electric grid, the White House said. The funding includes $94 million for two projects in Florida: $47 million for Gainesville Regional Utilities and $47 million for Switched Source to partner with Florida Power and Light.
“We are one United States”
Mr. Biden spoke of government relief efforts “from state and local to FEMA to us, Coast Guard Army Corps of Engineers, the Energy Department, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Defense, just to name a few.
“FEMA has delivered 1.2 million meals over 300,000 liters of water, 2 million gallons of fuel, and so far, we’ve installed 100 satellite terminals to restore communications in impacted areas, so families can talk to contact their loved ones to be sure everything’s okay, and be able to reach out for help as well.
“Speaking of help, so far, we opened 10 disaster recovery centers in Florida with more to come. So people can have one stop to meet with officials, get the federal help they’re entitled to.” He said direct, immediate financial aid was available including no-interest loans, mortgage relief and more.
For a fuller list of disaster relief programs, residents can go online to disaster assistance.gov, or call 1-800-621-FEMA.
Recent hurricanes and the government response have added another layer to the presidential race
With less than four weeks to go before Election Day, the hurricanes have added another dimension to the closely contested presidential race.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has said the Biden administration’s storm response had been lacking, particularly in North Carolina after Hurricane Helene. And Mr. Biden and Harris have hammered Trump for promoting falsehoods about the federal response.
Trump made a series of false claims after Helene struck in late September, including incorrectly saying that the federal government is intentionally withholding aid to Republican disaster victims. He also falsely claimed the Federal Emergency Management Agency had run out of money because all of it had gone to programs for immigrants in the country illegally.
Mr. Biden has said Trump was “not singularly” to blame for the spread of false claims in recent weeks but that he has the “biggest mouth.”
Homeland Security chief warns FEMA is running out of relief funds
The president is pressing for swift action by Congress to make sure the Small Business Administration and FEMA have the money they need to get through hurricane season, which ends Nov. 30 in the Atlantic. He said Friday that Milton alone had caused an estimated $50 billion in damages.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said last week that FEMA will be able to meet “immediate needs” caused by the two storms. But he warned in the aftermath of Helene that the agency does not have enough funding to make it through the hurricane season.
But Johnson has pushed back, saying the agencies have enough money for the time being and that lawmakers will address the funding issue during the lame-duck session after the election.
Harris, DeSantis trade accusations about storm response
Also percolating in the background are tensions between Harris and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. As Helene barreled toward Florida last week, the Democratic vice president and Republican governor traded accusations that the other was trying to politicize the federal storm response.
Harris’ office last week suggested that DeSantis was dodging her phone calls. DeSantis responded that he was unaware she had called and grumbled that she hadn’t been involved in the federal government’s response before she became the Democratic presidential nominee.
Mr. Biden, for his part, said he hoped to see DeSantis on Sunday, if the governor’s schedule permitted.
“He’s been very cooperative,” Mr. Biden said about DeSantis. He added, “We got on very, very well.”
DeSantis said Saturday that he had no details about the president’s visit.
During Sunday’s visit, Biden called the storm recovery “a team effort, folks. It made a big difference and it saved lives. But there’s much more to do. And we’re going to do everything we can to get power back in your homes, not only helping you recover, but to help you build back stronger.”
“Earlier this morning, I did an aerial tour of St. Petersburg and the battered coastline,” said Biden. “I flew over Tropicana Field and … the roof is almost completely off. But, thank God, not many people were injured. I spoke to first responders were working around the clock. I also met with small business owners here and homeowners who have taken a real beating [with] back-to-back storms. And they’re heartbroken and exhausted, and their expenses are piling up.”
President Joe Biden speaks following a briefing by federal, state, and local officials in St. Pete Beach, Fla., during a tour of areas affected by Hurricane Milton, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024.
The federal government says it has been dealing with an unprecedented number of rumors surrounding the recent hurricanes, Helene and Milton. CBS News immigration and politics reporter Camilo Montoya-Galvez speaks with the head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection about one of those false claims. Then, CBS News national security contributor Sam Vinograd joins with further analysis.
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Hurricane Milton officially made landfall in Florida on Wednesday night. CBS News Miami correspondent Cristian Benavides reports from Tampa. Then, CBS News Chicago chief meteorologist Albert Ramon joins with the latest forecast. Plus, National Hurricane Center Deputy Director Jamie Rhome lays out the storm’s future path.
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Francine slammed into the Louisiana coast Wednesday evening as a dangerous Category 2 hurricane that knocked out electricity to tens of thousands of customers and threatened widespread flooding as it sent a potentially deadly storm surge rushing inland along the Gulf Coast. Despite quickly weakening to a tropical storm, it was packing a strong punch.
Francine crashed ashore in Terrebonne Parish, about 30 miles southwest of Morgan City, the National Hurricane Center announced at 4 p.m. CDT. Packing maximum sustained winds near 100 mph, the storm then battered a fragile coastal region that hasn’t fully recovered from a series of devastating hurricanes in 2020 and 2021.
Morgan City Fire Chief Alvin Cockerham said Francine quickly flooded streets, snapped power lines and sent tree limbs crashing down.
The entrance to Lake Ponchartrain Causeway is closed due to Hurricane Francine in Metairie, La., Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024. The causeway is the longest continuous bridge over water in the world.
Matthew Hinton / AP
“It’s a little bit worse than what I expected to be honest with you,” Cockerham said of the onslaught. “I pulled all my trucks back to the station; it’s too dangerous to be out there in this.”
There were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries.
More than 330,000 customers were without power across Louisiana Wednesday night, according to utility tracker PowerOutage.us.
TV news broadcasts from Louisiana’s coastal communities showed waves from nearby lakes, rivers and Gulf waters thrashing sea walls. Water poured into city streets and neighborhoods amid blinding downpours. Oak and cypress trees leaned in the high winds, and some utility poles swayed back and forth.
Hardest hit by the blackouts was Terrebonne Parish near where the storm’s center hit land, as well as neighboring St. Mary Parish that includes Morgan City.
Det. Lt. David Spencer, a spokesperson for the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office, told CBS News in an email that the parish was “seeing more flooding than originally predicted.”
Spencer said the area was experiencing downed trees and power lines and damage to homes.
“We have had some roofs severely damaged and even gone,” Spencer wrote, adding that there were no reports of injuries.
Francine was centered about 35 miles northwest of New Orleans and had maximum sustained winds of 70 mph as of late Wednesday night, according to the hurricane center. It was moving northeast at 16 mph.
Sheltering at her mother’s home just outside Morgan City, Laura Leftwich said blasts of wind had swept away two large birdhouses outside. She had a generator powering an internet connection so she could video chat with friends, holding her computer to a window to show them water overflowing in the street.
If the storm had been any more intense, “I wouldn’t have the guts to look outside,” said Leftwich, 40. “It’s a little scary.”
Louisiana braces for the worst
Terrebonne Parish President Jason Bergeron told CBS News on Wednesday that the levies were holding, but the water is rising.
“The ground is saturated with water, and as the levy system is closed that water has a harder time getting out, except for some areas that have some pumps,” Bergeron said.
Sheltering at her mother’s home just outside Morgan City, Laura Leftwich said blasts of wind had swept away two large birdhouses outside. She had a generator powering an internet connection so she could video chat with friends, holding her computer to a window to show them water overflowing in the street.
If the storm had been any more intense, “I wouldn’t have the guts to look outside,” said Leftwich, 40. “It’s a little scary.”
The National Hurricane Center urged residents to stay sheltered overnight as Francine blows inland. The storm’s projected path included New Orleans, where forecasters said the storm’s eye could pass through.
Floodwater fills a neighborhood on September 11, 2024 in Houma, Louisiana. Hurricane Francine has been upgraded to a Category 2 hurricane and made landfall along the Louisiana coast.
Brandon Bell / Getty Images
“Conditions are going to go downhill really rapidly over the next couple of hours,” Jamie Rhome, the hurricane center’s deputy director, said in an online briefing prior to landfall. “It’s not going to be a good night to be driving on the roads, especially when the sun goes down.”
Bands of heavy rain began pelting New Orleans on Wednesday morning and were expected to intensify with the approach of Francine. New Orleans could see up to 10 inches of rain, putting the city’s water pump and drainage system to the test.
“Stay inside, hunker down,” New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said in a news briefing Wednesday. “Now is the time, between now as well as moving into midnight.”
A flash flood emergency was declared for New Orleans, Metairie and Kenner until 11:45 p.m. local time, the National Weather Service said.
Francine expected to weaken rapidly
Francine drew fuel from exceedingly warm Gulf of Mexico waters, strengthening to a Category 2 storm hours before landfall, the National Hurricane Center said. Category 2 hurricanes are classified as having winds of between 96 to 110 mph that are capable of extensive damage.
Still dangerous, the hurricane began weakening as it rushed inland, dropping in less than two hours back to a Category 1 storm with top winds of 85 mph. Francine continued moving northeast at a fast clip of 17 mph on a path toward New Orleans, about 55 miles away.
A road is blocked off ahead of Hurricane Francine’s arrival on Sept. 11, 2024, in Dulac, Louisiana.
Brandon Bell / Getty Images
It was forecast to weaken further while pushing northward through Mississippi on Thursday, with widespread rains in the coming days bringing potential flash flooding to cities including Jackson, Mississippi; Birmingham, Alabama; Memphis, Tennessee; and Atlanta. It also raised the threat of spin-off tornadoes.
Much of Louisiana and Mississippi could get 4 to 8 inches of rain, with the possibility of 12 inches in some spots, said Brad Reinhart, a senior hurricane specialist at the hurricane center.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said the National Guard would fan out to parishes impacted by Francine. They have food, water, nearly 400 high-water vehicles, about 100 boats and 50 helicopters to respond to the storm, including for possible search-and-rescue operations.
Louisianans have experience with hurricanes
Since the mid-19th century, some 57 hurricanes have tracked over or made landfall in Louisiana, according to The Weather Channel. Among them are some of the strongest, costliest and deadliest storms in U.S. history.
Morgan City, home to around 11,500 people, sits on the banks of the Atchafalaya River in south Louisiana and is surrounded by lakes and marsh. It’s described on the city’s website as “gateway to the Gulf of Mexico for the shrimping and oilfield industries.”
Luis Morfin, 26, left his RV camper outside Morgan City’s levee to hunker down at a friend’s home Wednesday night. Winds lashed the windows as they watching a TV powered by a generator. The power was out, but they were prepared to cook with steaks and potatoes on a propane stove.
“We knew what we were expecting,” Morfin said. “I don’t know how good my camper is, but we’ll figure that out tomorrow.”
President Biden granted an emergency declaration to help Louisiana secure expedited federal money and assistance. Landry and Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves also declared states of emergency.
A hurricane warning was in effect along the Louisiana coast from Cameron east to Grand Isle, about 50 miles south of New Orleans, according to the Miami-based hurricane center. A storm surge warning stretched from the Mississippi-Alabama border to the Alabama-Florida border.
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said it distributed more than 100,000 sandbags to the southern part of the state and the Department of Education reported a number of school district closures for Wednesday and Thursday.
The sixth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, Francine had prompted storm surge warnings on the Louisiana coast of as much as 10 feet from Cameron to Port Fourchon and into Vermilion Bay, forecasters said.
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Power restoration and clean up crews were working against the clock Thursday as another storm rolls in for the evening.
Three days after a storm, parts of St. Paul’s Como neighborhood are still without power.
Andy Rodriguez with St. Paul Parks and Recreation says they prioritized clearing roads of large trees, but debris along side streets will take some time.
“This will be a multi-week kind of clean-up response on behalf of our teams working extra time, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. as much as possible,” Rodriguez said.
Xcel Energy says power in the metro is 99% restored, and they brought in extra staff to make that happen. Now they’re on standby as the Twin Cities brace for severe thunderstorms on Thursday evening.
Scott Sydor woke up to a loud bang and a flash of light on Monday. Three days later, he still has a large tree in his backyard.
“A 120-foot maple, I think, from two houses down fell across the last three back yards … so exciting times!” Sydor said.
He’s thankful he didn’t lose power, but his next door neighbor was not so lucky. So he did the neighborly thing. running an extension cord from his house to theirs
“It’s actually good for the neighborhood here because we interact more, sharing coffee and refrigerators and freezers so stuff doesn’t spoil,” he said.
Minneapolis Parks and Recreation clears tree debris after storms as well. People are encouraged to report fallen trees in their neighborhood if they haven’t been addressed yet.
HUDSON — A Twin Cities musician is recovering, after he was crushed by a tree while cleaning up from this week’s storm damage.
Zach Beinlich said he was helping his parents clean up storm debris Tuesday in Hudson, Wis., when a tree gave way.
“One branch got moved and the whole big section of the branch fell right on top of me,” said Beinlich. “In that moment I was like ‘oh this could be it.”
Beinlich’s parents, Kurt and Lynette Beinlich, were somehow able to free their son.
“They saw it happen and then immediately jumped in to try to get this thing off me,” said Beinlich. “I don’t know how they did it. We’ve gotten back to look at the tree and my dad thinks it’s over a thousand pounds.”
Beinlich was rushed to Regions hospital.
“When I got out from the tree, I heard so many things crack that I thought maybe I was paralyzed from the neck down,” he said. Beinlich is home now, after only one night in the hospital, but not without several serious injuries: A broken clavicle and five broken ribs, with one of his ribs cutting his lung.
Beinlich wont be able to do anything for the next two weeks, with six to eight weeks before he can play guitar again.
Despite all that, he was able to take a moment for his fantasy football draft while in the ambulance to the hospital.
“I was like I’m on the clock right now and I know I’m in pain, but I don’t want the other guys in the league to have to wait for me to make their pick,” said Beinlich.
A moment of levity during a dire situation, as Beinlich recovers with a renewed sense of purpose.
“Means that I’ve got some stuff still to do here in this Earth and just grateful for every breath that I take,” said Beinlich.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Hurricane Ernesto dropped torrential rain on Puerto Rico and knocked out power for nearly half of all customers in the U.S. territory Wednesday as it threatened to become a major storm en route to Bermuda.
The hurricane was over open water about 720 miles (1,160 kilometers) south-southwest of Bermuda with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph (130 kph) and moving northwest at 16 mph (26 kph).
A hurricane watch was issued for Bermuda, while tropical storm warnings were discontinued for Puerto Rico and its outlying islands of Vieques and Culebra and for the U.S. and British Virgin Islands.
“I know it was a long night listening to that wind howl,” U.S. Virgin Islands Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. said in a news conference.
An islandwide blackout was reported in St. Croix, and at least six cell phone towers were offline across the U.S. territory, said Daryl Jaschen, emergency management director. He added that the airports in St. Croix and St. Thomas were expected to reopen at midday.
Schools and government agencies remained closed in the U.S. and British Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, where heavy flooding was reported in several areas, forcing officials to block roads, some of which were strewn with trees. More than 140 flights were canceled to and from Puerto Rico.
“A lot of rain, a lot of rain,” Culebra Mayor Edilberto Romero said in a phone interview. “We have trees that have fallen on public roads. There are some roofs that are blown off.”
Flash flood warnings remained Wednesday afternoon because of ongoing rains.
In the north coastal town of Toa Baja, which is prone to flooding, dozens of residents moved their cars to higher areas.
“Everyone is worried,” said Víctor Báez as he sipped beer with friends and watched the rain fall. He only briefly celebrated that he had power. “It’s going to go out again.”
Ernesto is forecast to strengthen into a major hurricane and its center is expected to pass near Bermuda on Saturday.
“Residents need to prepare now before conditions worsen,” Bermuda’s National Security Minister Michael Weeks said. “Now is not the time for complacency.”
Forecasters also warned of heavy swells along the U.S. East Coast.
“That means that anybody who goes to the beach, even if the weather is beautiful and nice, it could be dangerous … with those rip currents,” said Robbie Berg, warning coordination meteorologist with the National Hurricane Center.
Between 4 to 6 inches of rain is expected in the U.S. and British Virgin Islands and between 6 to 8 inches in Puerto Rico, with up to 10 inches in isolated areas.
More than 640,000 customers were without power in Puerto Rico, along with 23 hospitals operating on generators, Gov. Pedro Pierluisi said Wednesday. He added that crews are assessing damage and that it was too early to tell when electricity would be restored.
“We are trying to get the system up and running as soon as we can,” said Juan Saca, president of Luma Energy, the company that operates transmission and distribution of power in Puerto Rico.
Luma Energy said earlier Wednesday that its priority was to restore power to hospitals, the island’s water and sewer company and other essential services. More than 300,000 customers were without water as a result of power outages, Pierluisi said.
Puerto Rico’s power grid was razed by Hurricane Maria in 2017 as a Category 4 storm, and it remains frail as crews continue to rebuild the system.
“It’s just frustrating that this many years later, we continue to see something like a storm cause such widespread outages in Puerto Rico, particularly given the risk that these outages can cause for vulnerable households in Puerto Rico,” said Charlotte Gossett Navarro, the Hispanic Federation’s chief director for Puerto Rico.
Not everyone can afford generators on the island of 3.2 million people with a more than 40% poverty rate.
“People already prepared themselves with candles,” said Lucía Rodríguez, a 31-year-old street vendor.
Rooftop solar systems are scarce but keep growing in Puerto Rico, where fossil fuels generate 94% of the island’s electricity. At the time María hit, there were 8,000 rooftop installations, compared with more than 117,000 currently, according to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis.
Ernesto is the fifth named storm and the third hurricane of this year’s Atlantic hurricane season. Since 1966, only four other years have had three or more hurricanes in the Atlantic by mid-August, according to Philip Klotzbach, Colorado State University hurricane researcher.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted an above-average Atlantic hurricane season this year because of record warm ocean temperatures. It forecast 17 to 25 named storms, with four to seven major hurricanes.
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Associated Press journalist Julie Walker in New York contributed.
PAYNESVILLE, Minn. — A Stearns County family is counting their blessings after surviving Saturday night’s storm.
Zenner Farms is located about 7 miles north of Paynesville. Around 8:30 Saturday evening, high winds ripped through their home and buildings.
“It’s the first time I’ve witnessed this. I was just trying to keep my family safe in the basement,” said Daniel Zenner.
No sooner did Zenner get his wife and five kids to the basement than the storm blew the windows out of their house.
“Thank God we went downstairs when we did. Because I would have had glass shards sticking into me,” said Zenner. “That was the scariest part for my kids was they thought the house was blowing away.”
Luckily the Zenners and their livestock were OK, but their farm took a beating. While the cattle barn roof collapsed, the machine shed roof was completely torn off.
Julie Manning
Not only did the storm take the roof off the machine shed and throw it into the woods, but the strong winds threw pieces of wood, like spears, into the ground.
It’s possible the sheer force of the storm came from the 95 mile an hour winds and tornado that hit Melrose just 15 miles away.
“Everything has a little damage, some has a lot of damage. It all has to be gone through again,” said Allan Zenner.
With harvest season a couple of months away, the Zenners estimate $15,000 worth of damage or more was done to their combine, and their corn is another story.
“It was perfect. The corn was the nicest in years. Now it’s not,” said Allan Zenner.
Still, they know it could have been even worse.
“It happened so fast, it was over so quick, I was just trying to keep the kids safe. That was what I was focused on,” said Daniel Zenner.
The Zenners said they are thankful for friends and neighbors who stopped by after the storm to check on their family and property.
John Lauritsen is an Emmy award-winning reporter from Montevideo, Minn. He joined WCCO-TV in late-July of 2007. Two days after he started, the Interstate 35W bridge collapsed.
This morning, Houston ISD has reported that campuses across the district have undergone significant damage from Hurricane Beryl’s path across Houston.
Their just-released statement:
HISD was dramatically impacted by Hurricane Beryl. At the beginning of the week the overwhelming majority of our campuses were without power – many are still not online. As of this morning, roughly 70 campuses are without power, 50 campuses had trees down, and 60 campuses reported some roof or structural damages.
We are working diligently to address these issues and ensure the safety and well-being of our students and staff. Our Facilities and IT teams have been working around the clock this week to get campuses back online to serve summer school students next week, and then begin preparations for the 2024-2025 school year.
