Texas is Freezing Again as Ice Storms Cause Blackouts All Over Lone Star State

Once again, Texas is freezing, and much like before, Texans are going through the ordeal without any power as the ice storms don not just bring in harsh cold weather, but also blackouts.

This is the second time in three years that Texas is experiencing a February freeze, with wind chills going below freezing. Much like the previous incident two years ago, there is also uncertainty about when the power would return.

One of the most affected is the city of Austin, as the local newspaper, the Austin American Statesman, reported that thousands of the city's residents have already lost their power last Wednesday.

This was the result of the ice causing various problems, including tree limbs falling on power lines. Austin Energy has reported that over 100,000 homes have already reported that they are without power as of Wednesday morning.

The Austin Fire Department has also responded to arcing wires. However, multiple fire stations in the city have also reported losing power. As for Austin Energy customers, the company stated that they might be without power until Thursday.

Texas Residents Shiver Inside Their Homes as Blackouts Continue

Texas, which has its own independent power grid that is separate from the rest of the United States, has been severely affected by these blackouts. According to the Associated Press, around 430,000 Texas residents experienced the blackout, 156,000 of whom are from Austin.

Around 30% of the city's customers have been left without power since Wednesday, with many of them complaining that the city still has not given them any clear explanations on what to expect.

Officials in Austin have come under fire thanks to this latest February Freeze, as they did not provide any estimates as to when the power would be restored. They also failed to hold a news conference until Thursday to allay the concerns of residents.

However, during that Thursday press conference, Mayor Kirk Watson promised to review the city's communication protocols for future disasters.

However, there are differences between the 2021 state-wide incident and this year's incident as this latest one was the result of frozen equipment and ice-burdened trees and limbs falling on power lines, as opposed to the previous one that saw a total failure of the Texas grid and Ted Cruz flying to Cancun as his constituents froze.

At Least 10 Dead in Latest February Freeze

The latest February freeze brought about by Winter Storm Mara has not only caused a major blackout but also 10 deaths so far. The Weather Channel noted that all ten deaths were caused by icy road conditions, with seven deaths coming from Texas, two from Oklahoma, and one from Arkansas.

The winter storm also caused hundreds of flights to be canceled, as airlines canceled over 450 flights from the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. It also forced an Austin hospital to postpone several important procedures due to the blackout it caused.

For now, ground crews all over Austin are working to repair damaged power lines and clear trees that have fallen over due to the winter storm.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Winter and ice storm warnings for North and Central Texas - KPRC 2 Click2Houston