By: Emily Ao

On Monday morning, tropical storm Beryl crashed into Houston, TX, cutting out the electricity for millions. Beryl continuously tore down trees and structures, leaving many in danger. Residents were advised to stay home if going out was unnecessary, although there wouldn’t be much to do anyway. In fact, due to the lack of power, most businesses shut down, leaving the area dark.

According to the New York Times article, “Live Updates: Millions Without Power After Beryl Batters Houston,” Beryl started off as a Category 1 hurricane in Matagorda, TX. However, it quickly rose to become a Category 5, being “the first hurricane to reach Category 5 status this early in the season,” reporter David Goodman says.

Beryl has already killed at least 4 people in Houston during its journey. One victim drowned in his car while navigating through high waters, another died in a fire that supposedly started from a fallen tree, and two others also died in their homes when large trees struck. But that’s not all. As Beryl moved, it swept the shores of the Caribbean islands, killing at least 11.

According to researchers, climate change causes hurricanes to strengthen and intensify at a faster rate, explaining how Beryl quickly surged from a Category 1 to a Category 5. Beryl’s capability is a warning to us about what we should expect for the rest of the season. Unfortunately, that means that storms even worse than Beryl may be coming.

Image Credit by Josh Sorenson