Deep freeze paralyzes Texas and knocks out its power grid

A Texas furniture store owner has opened his business as a shelter for those left without power in the state after nearly five million people were left freezing in the darkness as a result of the harsh winter storm there. Mayor Sylvester Turner said other warming centers had to be shut down because they lost power Some utilities said they were starting blackouts, while others urged customers to reduce power usage, in a bid to prevent the collapse of their networks Nearly five million households in Texas were without power overnight and many residents took desperate refuge in their cars for warmth after the electric grid failed to keep up with heightened demand Jorge Sanhueza-Lyon stands on his kitchen counter to warm his feet over his gas stove Tuesday in Austin, Texas People wait in a long line to buy groceries during the extreme cold snap and widespread power outage on Tuesday in Austin People sit at a dining room table inside a Gallery Furniture store after the owner opened his business as a shelter for those without power People wait in a long line to buy groceries at H-E-B in Austin, Texas, during an extreme cold snap and widespread power outage on Tuesday Military vehicles from the Texas Military Department of the Texas National Guard, tasked to transport residents to designated warming centers and other required duties, form a convoy in Abilene, Texas Pike Electric service trucks line up after a snow storm on Tuesday in Fort Worth, Texas Reports are now emerging of Texans staying in their cars just to keep warm, including 44-year-old Clint Cash. Drone footages captures snowfall in Galveston, Texas amid winter storm Uri TEXAS: State officials said surging demand, driven by people trying to keep their homes warm, and cold weather knocking some power stations offline had pushed Texas' system beyond the limits TEXAS: Ice and snow blanket parts of a Grandview Avenue and Charles Walker Road on Monday in Odessa TEXAS: The Trinity River in Fort Worth is mostly frozen after a snow storm Monday that saw millions lose power TEXAS: A snow-covered Ann Richards Congress Avenue Bridge leads to downtown after a heavy snow on Monday The Electric Reliability Council of Texas sought to cut power use in response to a winter record of 69,150 megawatts on Sunday evening, more than 3,200 MW higher than the previous winter peak in January 2018. Aerial images show trail of destruction left by a tornado which killed three people and left 10 injured late Monday night Dozens of homes were destroyed in the golf course community after the deadly tornado ripped through just before midnight An aerial photo shows what is left of a home falling into the pool after a deadly tornado ripped through a seaside community in North Carolina Cars were pictured with their windows and sun roofs broken and blown out after an EF-3 tornado ripped through North Carolina Some of the North Carolina homes were destroyed all the way down to their foundations by the EF-3 rated tornado Several tractor-trailers were seen blown over by the EF-3 tornado which ripped through North Carolina on Monday night Aerial photos show ripped up trees and damaged roofs after the EF-3 tornado which ripped through North Carolina on Monday night Officials said all of the victims lived in the Ocean Ridge Plantation neighborhood in Ocean Isle Beach, pictured above Brunswick County Sheriff officers closed the entrance to the Ocean Ridge Plantation development after the tornado on Tuesday A property owner videos the damage to a home from severe weather in Brunswick County, N.C. near the town of Sunset Beach Property owners survey damage and start work on repairs after dozens of homes and businesses were damaged by a tornado Some homes were left barely standing after a strong tornado ripped off roofs and decimated others late Monday night Ed Conrow, director of Brunswick County Emergency Management, said on Tuesday that first responders had completed search and rescue operations and there were no reports of missing persons as of noon, WWAY-TV reported. Three people have been killed and 10 injured after a tornado swept through a seaside town in North Carolina as a blast of winter weather continues to strike large swathes of the United States Officials in Brunswick County said early Tuesday that three people were killed as the tornado tore through a golf course community and another rural area just before midnight Damaged vehicles sit among debris after a deadly tornado tore through Brunswick County A man surveys the damage after a deadly tornado tore through Brunswick County, North Carolina just before midnight The massive winter storm that overwhelmed a Southwestern power grid and immobilized the Southern Plains was carrying heavy snow and freezing rain eastward, with bad weather spreading through into New England and the Deep South, the National Weather Service said.