Galveston County battles brutal heatwave in wake of Hurricane Beryl power outages

GALVESTON, Texas - Residents of Galveston County are facing intense heat without power as they enter the third day after Hurricane Beryl's devastating landfall.

FOX 26 saw many people gathered on the east end of Galveston Island, one of the few areas where cell phone reception remains available. Residents have gathered there, seeking connectivity and respite from their powerless homes.

Galveston County recovering from Hurricane Beryl

It's been three days since Hurricane Beryl made landfall and Galveston County and those along the coast remain without power. FOX 26's Jonathan Mejia reports how people are holding up with the heat and no air conditioning.

Andrew Williams, a local resident, expressed his reliance on alternative methods to weather the post-hurricane conditions.

"Currently on the west end, I'm stuck on SOS mode. I can't check anything," Williams explained.

With electricity still out, he and others are resorting to generators.

"Three generators – we're currently running both of our refrigerators and some AC window units," Williams added.

The power outage has affected not only island residents but also tourists, presenting challenges in finding food and respite from the heat. Crystal Laindamood, a visitor impacted by the outage, shared her experience.

"We have no power, no AC, no lights, so we try to stay out of the hotel for the majority of the day and just go there for sleep," she said.

Her husband, David Laindamood, mentioned struggles with meals, stating, "We've been going eight to nine hours without food, just depends on who has food available and if it's still good or not."

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Galveston County Judge Mark Henry emphasized the rising temperatures and the importance of safety measures.

"You can get overheated quickly; that's what we have to caution that, and generators, if you're using a generator, please make sure you all observe generator safety precautions," Henry urged.

As of Monday, 73% of the county lacked power. By Wednesday morning, the numbers showed improvement, dropping to 43%.

To provide some relief, a cooling center has opened its doors to residents, family members, and their pets. Anuradha Masand described the sheer relief experienced upon entering the facility: "It's priceless. The minute I walked in the door a short while ago, I was actually all teary, and I even feel like that now, because I came in the air conditioner after two days."

She further expressed gratitude for the refuge provided by the center, stating, "They are giving us a place to come and charge our phones, and just retreat from the heat outside. That's just priceless at the moment."

Judge Henry informed FOX 26 of his expectations for power to be restored throughout the county by the end of the upcoming weekend. Affected residents and visitors are holding on to this hope as they navigate the challenging aftermath of Hurricane Beryl.

Galveston is operating a cooling station at the McGuire Dent Recreation Center, 2222 28th Street, and is providing charging stations and water. Pets are allowed inside the recreation center as long as they are on a leash and not aggressive towards others.

Additional cooling stations can be found throughout the county.

SANTA FE:

Mae S. Bruce Library, 13302 Sixth St., from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

HITCHCOCK:

Old City Hall building, 7423 Highway 6, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

City Hall 8102, Highway 6, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

FRIENDSWOOD:

Friendswood Library, 416 S Friendswood Drive, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Friendswood Activity building, 416 Morningside Drive, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

DICKINSON:

Dickinson High School, 3800 Baker Drive, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Dickinson Public Library, 4411 state Highway 3, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.