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HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Nearly a week has passed since a deadly storm left around 1 million Houstonians without power. While CenterPoint has reported that power restoration is nearly complete, residents in parts of Kashmere Gardens are still in the dark, struggling with unbearable heat.
A CenterPoint crew informed ABC13 they had initially hoped to restore power in the area by Wednesday, but now it seems it might not happen until Thursday.
The intense heat is a significant concern for Freddy and Katherine Charles.
“At 72 years old, it’s hard. Sometimes you don’t know what you are going to do, you know?” Freddy Charles said.
To cope, the couple spends time in their car, hoping that CenterPoint will restore power soon. The situation is particularly challenging for Katherine Charles, given her declining health.
“My heart, sometimes it hurts, and this heat is not helping,” Katherine Charles said.
Geraldine Labbe, who lives near the Charles family, has also been affected. Without air conditioning, she has been forced to stay with her daughter.
“It’s awful. I don’t know how to tell you how it is. I just wish I was in my house,” Labbe said.
Labbe’s house is located at the corner of Majestic and Cavalcade.
Her daughter, Maria Sion, emphasized that these neighborhoods are home to many vulnerable residents.
“I don’t just want CenterPoint to come see about mom. I want CenterPoint to come see about Kashmere Gardens and all of these seniors and all of the disabled,” Maria Sion said.
Freddy Charles expressed his fear that the wait for power restoration might be too long.
“I’m scared of dying,” he said.
He feels this fear is compounded by a persistent lack of priority for Kashmere Gardens after storms.
“We always last, and it’s not fair,” Freddy Charles said.