In the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, which left millions in Texas without power for days or longer, the scorching summer heat proved to be a deadly combination for residents unable to access air conditioning. The dangerous conditions resulted in a significant increase in heat-related deaths in Houston, America's fourth-largest city.

One tragic case involves Janet Jarrett and her sister, Pamela Jarrett, who shared a home in Spring, Texas. Without electricity for four days, Janet did everything she could to keep her 64-year-old sister, who relied on a wheelchair and a feeding tube, cool. However, tragedy struck when Janet awoke to find Pamela gasping for breath. Despite calling paramedics, Pamela passed away at the hospital due to the unbearable heat.

Reports indicate that the prolonged power outages caused by Hurricane Beryl have resulted in at least 23 storm-related fatalities in Texas. At the height of the outages, nearly 3 million homes and businesses were left without electricity, lasting for days or even longer. Local hospitals reported a surge in heat-related illnesses during this time.

Though power has since been restored to most, the slow pace of recovery in the Houston area has led to mounting scrutiny of the region's electric provider, CenterPoint Energy. Questions are being raised about their level of preparedness for such events.

While the final human toll of the storm in Texas may not be known for weeks or even years, experts emphasize the importance of understanding these numbers in order to better prepare for future events. The deaths related to Hurricane Beryl include a range of circumstances, such as individuals killed by falling trees and drowning in floodwaters. Additionally, there were fatalities resulting from falls while cutting damaged tree limbs and from heat-related distress.

According to the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, half of the storm-related deaths in Harris County, where Houston is located, were heat-related. Janet Jarrett, who has been caring for her sister since she was injured in an attack six years ago, expressed her disbelief and sadness, stating that her sister was in good health prior to the power outage.

With power outages ongoing and cleanup efforts still underway, the death toll is expected to continue rising. Furthermore, it may take some time before an accurate count is determined. The Texas Department of State Health Services, responsible for identifying storm-related deaths through death certificate data, estimates that a preliminary count may not be available until the end of July.

While counting storm-related fatalities through death certificates is an important tool, experts argue that analyzing excess deaths during and after the storm can provide a more comprehensive understanding of the overall impact. This analysis compares the number of deaths during the period to what would be expected under normal conditions, capturing deaths that may have otherwise been overlooked.

Both approaches have their benefits. Counting death certificates helps with public health and emergency management planning, while calculating excess deaths provides a broader view of the overall impact and helps identify individual risk factors. Understanding these individual circumstances is crucial in improving preparedness and response efforts in the future.

As Texas grapples with the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl and its devastating heat-related consequences, authorities continue to investigate storm-related deaths while emphasizing the importance of learning from this tragedy to better protect communities in the future.