Houston officials urge pedestrians to stay off roads and away from downtown

HOUSTON (KIAH) – Mayor John Whitmire is asking Houstonians to stay off the roads and avoid unnecessary travel following Thursday’s purple storm.

Major power outages and damage were reported across the city. Many of the city’s roads are impassable due to downed power lines, debris and fallen trees in the storm’s aftermath.

Several downtown streets are blocked due to large debris on sidewalks and intersections. Strong winds blew out windows of downtown buildings, leaving large pieces of glass behind. The roof of the Hyatt Regency suffered heavy damage overnight.

The city asks residents to call 911 only in cases of life-threatening emergencies and to call 311 to report downed power lines or other impacts to public access and safety.