Environment

Shortage of drinking water due to the cold in Texas

Some of the inhabitants of Texas, United States, are suffering from the lack of clean water .

Tap with water

The majority of the Texas population continues to lack clean water. Photo: Pixabay

LatinAmerican Post | Moises Campos

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Leer en español: Poca agua potable debido al frío en Texas

The polar cold that was located in the State, has claimed the lives of several citizens, the death toll due to hypothermia is approximately 70 people and the list of people injured has not been specifically revealed. This information has been revealed by national sources, since the appearance of the first climatic manifestations in the population of Texas. Texans have had to find a way to bring clean water to their homes.

Weather Havoc in Texas

The weather incident that has been engulfing Texas these days is an unprecedented event. The ravages have raged in areas of the south and center of the nation. According to the news provided by the site poweroutage.us , several towns in Texas remained without drinking water or electricity. It is estimated that around 115,000 houses were still in this situation, while  areas of Mississippi and Louisiana reached 110,000 affected. The freeze has wreaked havoc in this region due to damage to the pipelines responsible for supplying these resources and due to power cuts.

Long lines to get drinking water

According to national and international newspapers, it is known that in several places in the region, various energy sources have been restored. However, the majority of the Texas population still lacks safe drinking water. Texans have been waiting long hours in line to get water, starting Friday. This originated after the cold wave that has astonished the country and it is estimated that the problem will remain for several days.

Percy McGee, one of the affected residents in Houston, said in an interview with El Mundo that he was extremely frustrated due to waiting for several hours in line. The man expressed his discontent in the town of Delmar Stadium where people gather to get drinking water, which is bottled.

The lack of drinking water due to the intense cold has increased several problems related to the consumption of this product. For example, the cooking food necesitates boiled water. These types of problems can cause damage to the health of the inhabitants, especially in newborn children, the elderly and people with certain pathologies.

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Intense cold in Texas

According to national sources, this problem has remained strong in recent hours, causing this series of events. It was forecast for last Friday that this state would have several snowstorms in the coastal area.  In New York, specifically in the north, the same forecast of persistent rains continued that would extend to North Carolina. Some regions of the USA are hot, like South Texas. These have been surprised to see their temperature drop below zero. The areas of Mississippi, Louisiana are also hot and have been suffering the consequences of these climatic ravages.

Situation of hospitals

Texas health centers have suffered the consequences of this weather storm. The wave of polar cold interrupted some of the work, as in some hospitals the supply of water and energy also stopped. This spread over a wide strip located in Texas, however, it was known that with the passage of time some of them were restored. As a result of these climatic events, many health workers decided to lock themselves in their establishments since their homes do not have water or electricity. They were kept in hospitals to meet their basic needs, thanks to electric generators and drinking water storage.

Most of the hospitals in the United States have these machines, as part of the operation that health centers must have, such as the provision of cisterns, tanks and pumps. Doctors affected by the immense cold in Texas did not hesitate to take advantage of these resources. Most hospitals in Texas still have electricity, however, some have running water and others drinkable. Despite this, many workers have managed to solve the lack of water for basic uses without affecting the supply of it to patients in hospitals.

The meteorological systems have estimated a climatic improvement for the following hours, especially for the southern United States. Several sources specializing in weather events remain hopeful of new warmer air for Texas. Faced with the cold snap in Texas, the National Weather Service (NWS) announced that cold days in the plains areas are ending. "The unusually cold week in the southern plains will end this weekend with the entry of a depression with warmer air. " These latest forecasts have increased optimism about this climate situation.

Forecasts

It is estimated that the city of Houston will gradually restore the supply of drinking water and electricity. Experts have stated that as of Saturday, the temperature in Texas will begin to rise above 10 degrees.

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