Texas Marks Hurricane Beryl Anniversary as Recovery Still Lags

Texas communities are marking one year since Hurricane Beryl tore ashore, leaving a trail of destruction that the region is still struggling to repair. The storm made landfall along the mid-Texas coast in early July 2024, later earning the distinction of being the Atlantic basin’s earliest-ever Category 5 system. Although Beryl weakened to a strong Category 1 before landfall, its eyewall produced hurricane-force winds and spawned numerous tornado warnings across southeast Texas. The National Hurricane Center estimates Beryl caused more than $7 billion in U.S. property damage. At the height of the storm, about 2.6 million CenterPoint Energy customers lost electricity, and many households endured days without power amid sweltering heat, conditions that contributed to several heat-related deaths. Recovery remains uneven. In northwest Harris County, the Loredo family is still living in a short-term rental after a falling tree smashed their home and killed 73-year-old Maria De La Luz Loredo during the storm. Insurance disputes and construction delays have kept the house under a tarp a full year later, underscoring the prolonged challenges facing many residents. Meteorologists say Beryl’s rapid intensification and early formation underscore the growing risks of longer and more volatile Atlantic hurricane seasons. Local officials are using the anniversary to press homeowners and businesses to revisit emergency plans before the heart of the 2025 season begins.