Texans face days-long deadly heat wave without power

More than a week after Hurricane Beryl swept through Texas and left millions without power, nearly 60,000 people in the state still do not have electricity.

The issue is more than an inconvenience, as many in the state have faced a deadly days-long heat wave that claimed its latest victim on Tuesday.

Local news reported that a woman was found dead in her apartment after spending the last eight days in her home without electricity and air conditioning. The heat index in Houston had climbed to 110F (43F) the day her body was discovered.

With the power issue lingering and more than a dozen deaths now linked to the heat, frustrations in Houston have started to boil over – particularly as the forecasts for the coming days warn of high temperatures.

Armed residents living without electricity have reportedly harrassed and threatened workers from CenterPoint Energy, the local energy provider, who have been sent out to restore power.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a statement saying that CentrePoint Energy “has lost the faith and trust of Texans”.

He issued a July 31 deadline for the company to respond to questions about what went wrong and what can be done to mitigate hurricane damage to the electric grid.