By Saturday afternoon, approximately 2,500 customers of Houston's main utility, CenterPoint Energy, were still without power, according to PowerOutage.us. The number of affected customers varied throughout the day, and it remains unclear whether these households have been without power since Hurricane Beryl struck the Gulf Coast on July 8, leaving over 2 million customers in darkness, primarily in the Houston area. On Monday night, more than 135,000 CenterPoint customers were still experiencing power outages.

In response to the ongoing situation, CenterPoint Energy released a statement explaining that the customers without power were mostly isolated cases, where homes or equipment suffered severe damage during the storm. The utility, which serves around 2.8 million customers in the Houston area, also noted that some of the current power outages could be due to thunderstorms that occurred earlier on Saturday. For safety reasons, the utility's crews had to pause their work during lightning occurrences.

Tragically, at least 14 deaths in the Houston area have been confirmed to be hurricane-related, with seven individuals reportedly dying from heat exposure due to power loss, according to the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences. The storm's impact also led to over 20 deaths in Harris and nearby counties, as reported by local media outlets. Authorities have warned that the number of fatalities could increase, with older people being particularly vulnerable.

The aftermath of Hurricane Beryl has left some Houston residents in dire circumstances for over a week. Many have been forced to sleep in their cars, navigate dark rooms and corridors with limited mobility aids, and cope with spoiled food, medications, and inoperable medical equipment. The situation has become increasingly desperate, exacerbated by the discovery of deceased neighbors who succumbed to the heat after the relatively mild Category 1 hurricane swept through the area.

The dire conditions and prolonged power outages have sparked outrage among Houston residents, with many expressing their frustrations and concerns about the well-being of their loved ones. Denise Furlough, who assisted her 86-year-old father during the power outage, shared her fears and disbelief, stating, "It is unimaginable that this is happening in 2024."

Tragic stories continue to emerge, with residents like Pat Baker discovering the lifeless body of a neighbor in a condo complex. Baker, deeply affected by the situation, explained, "You know, it's just been hot and miserable, and I'm just sick of this, you know. I'm just sick of it."

As Houston grapples with ongoing power outages and mourns the loss of lives, the focus remains on restoring power to affected customers and ensuring the safety of vulnerable individuals in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl.