Houston storms kill 7, cause extensive damage in once-in-a-generation event

Meteorologists described the freak windstorms that hit Houston as a once-in-a-generation event that could potentially leave residents without power for weeks amid dangerously hot temperatures.

At least seven people died in Thursday’s storms, as powerful 100 mph gusts toppled transmission towers, shattered windows and uprooted trees across the city, CNN reported.

Crews are investigating several potential tornadoes in the area and the National Weather Service confirmed Friday that an EF1 tornado touched down near Cypress, a northwest suburb of Houston.

“We believe this windstorm is the strongest windstorm likely for the Houston area since Hurricane Alicia in 1983,” said Janice Maldonado, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Houston/Galveston office.

Victor Gensini, a meteorology professor at Northern Illinois University, called it a “generational wind event” for the city and likened the conditions to those of a hurricane or tornado.

At the height of the storm’s winds, more than 900,000 homes and businesses lost power in Houston’s Harris County, and as of Friday evening, about 600,000 people were left in the dark, according to PowerOutage.us.

Because many area homes and businesses are tied to downed steel transmission towers in the state, restoring power could take days or even weeks, the Harris County judge said. Lina Hildago, during a press conference on Friday.

With temperatures in Houston expected to reach the 90s this weekend, the lack of electricity could pose a life-threatening risk for many residents. Officials added that they plan to set up cooling centers for people on Friday.

With news feed services