DEEP FREEZE

Winter Storm That Left Texas Dark Now Blamed for at Least 57 Deaths

The new death toll is based on preliminary data released by the state’s health department on Monday.

The once-in-a-generation winter storm that knocked out the power grid in Texas last month has been blamed for at least 57 deaths to date, according to a report from the Texas Tribune. The new death toll is based on preliminary data released by the state’s health department on Monday. Most deaths were recorded in Harris County, where at least 25 people lost their lives, but 25 different counties suffered deaths that have been linked to the storm. The majority of verified deaths were associated with hypothermia, but they were also as a result of car crashes as well as “carbon monoxide poisoning, medical equipment failure, falls and fire.” The numbers are “subject to change” as state authorities investigate and more deaths are verified. At the worst point of the storm, nearly 4.5 million Texas homes and businesses were left without power.