Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo leaving Washington to come back to help with storm damage recovery

Judge Hidalgo said she was in Washington, D.C. this week but would be returning to help respond to the incident.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo leaving Washington to come back to help with storm damage recovery

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — In a statement released late Thursday night, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said she would be leaving Washington to come back to the Houston area and assist with the cleanup after devastating storms moved through Southeast Texas.

Hidalgo didn't say why she was in Washington but did provide some insight on how the county will respond.

"I know that many people lived through and are still living through scary situations with the terrible strong winds that blew across our county tonight. What we know so far is that at least four people are reported dead, there are widespread power outages and infrastructure damage to the power grid, as well as significant property damage," Hidalgo said.

She went on to say county departments were working to clear as much debris as they could while also assessing the damage. She said initially it appeared that the damage was "very significant."

She said CenterPoint officials told her they'd be assessing damage into Friday and multiple transmission towers were knocked down on the west side of town. More than 40% of the city was without power in the wake of the storms. Hidalgo said 1,500 assistance crews were heading to the area to help restore the electricity.

"Please check on the people you know, call 911 if you’re in danger, and call 311 to report debris or downed trees. Look out for updates from your school district on whether the district will operate Friday," Hidalgo said.

[video_shortcode_youtube src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Cm6YaZIA3c8?rel=0" itemprop="image" content="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Cm6YaZIA3c8?rel=0" data-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Cm6YaZIA3c8?rel=0"]

OTHER NEWS

27 minutes ago

Morgan Stanley's Ellen Zentner on Fed: It's okay to cut

27 minutes ago

Miracle survival for 41 on stricken plane that broke in two during Arctic crash landing

27 minutes ago

WATCH: Francesco Molinari drains clutch hole-in-one on final hole to remarkably make cut at U.S. Open 2024

27 minutes ago

Alan Bates made a sir and Gordon Brown receives gong in King's Birthday Honours

30 minutes ago

R.E.M. Plays First Public Performance In Years At Songwriters Hall Of Fame Induction

31 minutes ago

Video: An audience with God! Rishi Sunak is pictured smiling with Pope Francis at G7 summit before pontiff warned global leaders about the dangers of AI

31 minutes ago

Robert Irwin threatens to sue Pauline Hanson's One Nation over Please Explain cartoon about his Queensland tourism campaign with Bluey

31 minutes ago

Albanian fugitives are hiding in the UK in the same way British crooks once did in the Costa del Sol, experts warn

31 minutes ago

Russell Brand walked around Channel 4 colleagues naked whilst presenting shows for the broadcaster but his behaviour was indulged as 'Russell being Russell', investigation finds

31 minutes ago

Bosses at Yorkshire jail HMP Wetherby spend £10,000 on BMX dirt bike track for inmates

32 minutes ago

Edward Stone, 88, Physicist Who Oversaw Voyager Missions, Is Dead

32 minutes ago

We Were the Lucky Ones to Agents of Mystery: the seven best shows to stream this week

32 minutes ago

France Elections Spark Worries of Market Turmoil. Is It the Next Greece?

32 minutes ago

Consumer sentiment falls to 7-month low on worries over inflation and weaker incomes

32 minutes ago

Cleveland Fed President: We need more good inflation news before cutting rates

32 minutes ago

Panthers hold on to beat Oilers 4-3 and take 3-0 lead in Stanley Cup final

32 minutes ago

Here’s the Average TFSA Balance in 2024

32 minutes ago

Caitlin Clark has had enough of misogynistic, racist comments toward WNBA players

32 minutes ago

How to watch NBA Finals: Celtics vs. Mavericks Game 4 live stream

33 minutes ago

Pride flags were again vandalized at the Stonewall National Monument

33 minutes ago

Southern Baptist Convention’s opposition to IVF leaves some hurt and grappling with their options

34 minutes ago

BBC warned it will 'infuriate millions' if it does not let Nigel Farage debate Keir Starmer in the wake of the Reform party's polling success

36 minutes ago

Video: Chrissy Teigen looks glamorous in plunging sequin dress with husband John Legend and daughter Luna in Paris

37 minutes ago

Federal government approves reduced offshore wind zone off Illawarra coast after community concerns

37 minutes ago

Patient Assisted Travel Scheme leaving country WA residents unfairly out of pocket for medical treatment, advocates say

37 minutes ago

Detroit Lions expected to sign Jake Bates in NFL free agency

37 minutes ago

Dakota Fanning Says Her Mom 'Changed the Course of Her Life for Me': 'She Put Her Own Dreams to the Side'

37 minutes ago

Trump floats idea of making tax cuts permanent in CEO roundtable

37 minutes ago

'I was excited for my brother's wedding. When he told me the dress code, I refused to go.'

37 minutes ago

Astros release former AL MVP Jose Abreu

37 minutes ago

Wall Street doesn't understand where the consumer is, says Fmr. Walmart U.S. CEO Bill Simon

38 minutes ago

About the Claim That US Economy Is Best It's Been in 50 Years

38 minutes ago

Sotomayor rips Thomas’s bump stocks ruling in scathing dissent read from bench

38 minutes ago

T20 World Cup 2024: England boosted by bowling blitz against Oman to keep qualification hopes alive

38 minutes ago

Soccer-No pressure for Scotland ahead of Germany clash - Robertson

38 minutes ago

Homeless encampment near elementary school in Longueuil causing concern

38 minutes ago

Woods exits US Open, says it 'may or may not be' his last

38 minutes ago

Ludvig Aberg seizes 1-shot lead at U.S. Open; 3-way tie in 2nd

41 minutes ago

After 70 years, DNA test reunites 3 long-lost siblings across the pond

41 minutes ago

Alberta LGBTQ2 advocates raise concerns after trans youths denied gender-affirming care