Topline
The number of people killed in the brutal winter storm that overwhelmed Texas’s power grid in February is likely four or five times more than what the state has acknowledged, according to a new report from Buzzfeed News, as the disaster’s true impact continues to be revealed.
Linda McKinney, 57, rests on a bed while taking shelter at Gallery Furniture store which opened its ... [+]
Key Facts
The state’s official tally currently stands at 151 dead, with the majority of the deaths centered in Harris County (home to Houston), Travis County (Austin) and Dallas.
However, Buzzfeed News, using a method called “excess deaths” analysis, which has also been employed to calculate the full toll of the Covid-19 pandemic, found that even by the most conservative estimates, the true number is at least three times higher.
The analysis, also reviewed by three independent experts, suggests that between 426 and 978 more people died during the week ending Feb. 20 than what the state has accounted for.
The “best estimate” is that 702 people were killed in the storm that week, the report says, which is nearly four-times higher than the state’s tally.
Press representatives for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and the Texas Department of State Health Services did not immediately respond to questions from Forbes about whether storm-related deaths are still being investigated.
Crucial Quote
However, Press Secretary Renae Eze told Buzzfeed News the governor is “working collaboratively with the House and Senate to find meaningful and lasting solutions to ensure these tragic events are never repeated.”
Key Background
Months later, key details are still coming to light about the causes and effects of the storm-induced blackouts, which left millions of Texans without power and water for days on end in early February as record low temperatures overwhelmed the state’s electric power grid, ERCOT. Most confirmed deaths have been linked to hypothermia, though the count also includes carbon monoxide poisoning and accidents on ice, including traffic crashes.The storm resulted in one of the worst carbon monoxide poisoning catastrophes in recent U.S. history, with 11 fatalities. Buzzfeed News noted that many of the uncounted victims of the storm and power outages were already medically vulnerable, with conditions like diabetes, kidney problems or cardiovascular disease.
Surprising Fact
The state has on a near-monthly basis released updates to its official tally—in March doubling the initial estimate of 57 fatalities and then boosting the toll again to 151 in April. Meanwhile, local news outlets investigating the disaster have long calculated a higher number of deaths associated with the disaster, noting the state is yet to incorporate some deaths already flagged by medical examiners as storm-related.
What To Watch For
Texas lawmakers are in the midst of debating sweeping legislation to overhaul the state’s power grid. If passed, the bill would require power generation companies to better prepare their facilities for extreme weather, fund back-up power generators, and prevent customers from having to pay massive power bills to cover electric companies’ financial losses from the storm, among other reform measures.
Further Reading
“The Graveyard Doesn’t Lie” (Buzzfeed News)
“Texas enabled one of the worst carbon monoxide poisoning catastrophes in recent U.S. history” (The Texas Tribune)
“‘Collective amnesia’: Texas politicians knowingly blew 3 chances to fix the failing power grid” (The Houston Chronicle)
“Minorities Far More Likely To Have Experienced Blackouts In Texas Winter Storm” (Forbes)
