Current:Home > NewsTexas officials put the final death toll from last year's winter storm at 246 -OceanicInvest
Texas officials put the final death toll from last year's winter storm at 246
View
Date:2025-04-18 16:01:35
Nearly a year after a deadly winter storm left Texans freezing and in the dark, state officials say they know the final death toll.
The Texas Department of State Health Services adjusted the number of people who died from last February's storm to 246 people — up from July's tally of 210. The victims, who spanned 77 counties in Texas, ranged in age from less than one year old to 102.
Last February's massive winter storm spread ice, snow, and freezing temperatures throughout Texas. The state's weak utility grid couldn't stand up to the record-breaking cold and left millions without power for days.
Most of the storm's victims died from hypothermia, according to the state's report.
Dozens of people also died from accidents on roads, falls, and fires. The prolonged loss of power also led to some victims losing access to necessary medical equipment, such as oxygen tanks or dialysis machines. At least 19 people died from carbon monoxide poisoning as they tried to heat their homes or cars as the unrelenting cold continued.
The state's new report counts victims of the storm as those who were found after the storm passed and people who were injured during the storm, but died at a later date.
Since the deadly blackout, regulators in Texas have implemented changes forcing power companies to ramp up weatherization requirements at their facilities. So far, officials there are feeling confident that the "lights will stay on," according to Texas Public Radio.
The state's Public Utility Commission says it is enforcing those new regulations. Power plants had until December to file winter preparedness reports, though 13 of them did not do so.
veryGood! (5)
Related
- 'We're reborn!' Gazans express joy at returning home to north
- Montana man pleads not guilty to charges he threatened to kill ex-House Speaker McCarthy
- Hungary hosts international training for military divers who salvage unexploded munitions
- Illinois man who pepper-sprayed pro-Palestinian protesters charged with hate crimes, authorities say
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
- Iowa man found not guilty of first-degree murder in infant son’s death
- Indiana sheriff’s deputies fatally shoot man, 19, who shot at them, state police say
- Venezuelan government escalates attacks on opposition’s primary election as turnout tops forecast
- All That You Wanted to Know About She’s All That
- Looking for cheap Christmas decorations? Here's the best time to buy holiday decor.
Ranking
- A White House order claims to end 'censorship.' What does that mean?
- The US is sharing hard lessons from urban combat in Iraq and Syria as Israel prepares to invade Gaza
- Hong Kong cuts taxes for foreign home buyers and stock traders as it seeks to maintain global status
- In the time travel series 'Bodies,' one crime happens four times
- Former longtime South Carolina congressman John Spratt dies at 82
- After off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot is accused of crash attempt, an air safety expert weighs in on how airlines screen their pilots
- Massachusetts police searching for Air Force veteran suspected of killing wife; residents urged to stay vigilant
- Poison specialist and former medical resident at Mayo Clinic is charged with poisoning his wife
Recommendation
IRS recovers $4.7 billion in back taxes and braces for cuts with Trump and GOP in power
Kylie Jenner Is Ready to Build a Fashion Empire With New Line Khy
Georgia Supreme Court allows 6-week abortion ban to stand for now
Live updates | Israel’s bombardment in Gaza surges, reducing buildings to rubble
Juan Soto praise of Mets' future a tough sight for Yankees, but World Series goal remains
Iranian teen Armita Geravand has no hope of recovery after controversial train incident, her family says
'Bold and brazen' scammers pose as clergy, target immigrants in California, officials warn
A warmer than usual summer blamed for hungry, hungry javelinas ripping through Arizona golf course