Editor’s Note: This story was originally published by Grist. Sign up for Grist’s weekly newsletter here.
Amid the widespread destruction, brutal heat, heavy rains, and ongoing outages along the Gulf coast, relief organizations are scrambling to ensure people stay fed in the wake of Hurricane Beryl. Ever since the storm made landfall near Matagorda, causing millions to lose power, local churches and supermarkets have given away meals, and soccer stadiums have become grocery distribution points.
The hurricane, which caused catastrophic damage as it roared across the Caribbean and the Yucatan Peninsula, pummeled Texas on July 8 before spawning tornadoes, rain, and flooding as far north as Vermont. All told, the earliest Category 5 hurricane ever recorded has claimed the lives of at least 20 people, including more than 10 in Houston, and caused at least $3.3 billion in damage. That figure is sure to rise in the weeks and months ahead.
