More than 800,000 customers in Houston are still without power and electricity, more than four days after the hurricane struck and caused widespread flooding. With temperatures reaching the nineties, residents are facing unbearable conditions, resorting to cold showers and sleeping in hot rooms.

Ruth Gonzalez, a frustrated Houston resident, expressed her discontent with both the utility company and the storm, highlighting the inconvenience and losses experienced by affected individuals. Gonzalez questioned how they would be reimbursed for the $600 worth of food that had to be thrown away due to power outages.

The hurricane has been attributed to at least 11 deaths in the United States, with three fatalities in the metropolitan Houston area. Despite public outrage, Darin Carroll, senior vice president of operations at CenterPoint, assured that the utility company was prepared for the storm, mobilizing crews from outside Houston as soon as the storm subsided.

CenterPoint Energy announced in a news release on Thursday that about 80 percent of affected customers would have power and electricity restored by Sunday. However, areas with significant structural damage may experience prolonged outages as crews work on installing thousands of new distribution poles and overhead conductors necessary for the transmission of electrical energy.

Carroll highlighted the challenging situation faced by the service territory, emphasizing the need to clean up entire trees that have knocked down power lines, delaying the restoration process. While the company has been working diligently, some customers, like Gonzalez and Ronald Thompson, have been forced to find alternative accommodations. Thompson has found refuge in his church, where he has access to air conditioning and an inflatable mattress.

The restoration efforts faced additional setbacks due to threats of violence. Incident reports revealed a man threatening to shoot CenterPoint employees, resulting in law enforcement intervention and subsequent arrest. These incidents have led to delays as crews are redirected to safer areas.

Acting Gov. Dan Patrick announced that Gov. Greg Abbott will initiate an investigation into CenterPoint's response to the storm. The Public Utility Commission will determine the consequences based on the findings. Meanwhile, the dangerously high temperatures have caused a surge in heat-related emergencies, with hospitals relying on generators to cope with the increased demand for medical attention.

As Houston residents continue to endure the struggle of prolonged power outages amidst scorching temperatures, authorities and utility companies are under immense pressure to restore essential services swiftly while ensuring the safety of their teams and customers.