Washington, 9 July 2024 (dpa/MIA) - At least seven people have died in Texas as Hurricane Beryl continues to move through the US state, according to media reports, while millions remain without power.

It will likely take several days to restore the power supply, according to the operator. Some 2 million to 3 million households are affected, the chairman of the company said.

Among the dead was a police officer in his car on his way to work in Houston, Mayor John Whitmire told a press conference on Monday. In the neighbouring state of Louisiana, one person also died as a result of the storm, the local sheriff's office reported.

US President Joe Biden expressed his condolences to those affected and promised Texans his support. "We thank all of the first responders and will remain with the people of Texas every step of the way," he wrote on the X platform.

Meanwhile, a tornado in Jasper County, on the border with the state of Louisiana, destroyed about 30 houses.

Beryl made landfall as a hurricane near the Texan town of Matagorda some 130 kilometres south-west of Houston early on Monday morning, but has since lost strength.

The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) issued warnings for parts of Texas and Louisiana of further tornadoes, flash floods and strong winds. Meteorologists say there is an ongoing risk of life-threatening storm surges along the Gulf Coast.

Meteorologists predict that Beryl will continue moving north-eastwards in the coming days while weakening further.

Beryl formed in the Atlantic at the end of June and quickly strengthened into a major hurricane before making landfall in the south-eastern Caribbean on July 1.

The storm wreaked havoc across several islands, destroying homes and toppling power lines as it was temporarily upgraded to a Category 5 hurricane - the highest level - reaching sustained wind speeds of more than 251 kilometres per hour.

After brushing Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, Beryl made landfall in Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula as a Category 2 hurricane, before moving on across the Gulf of Mexico towards the US mainland.

The hurricane season begins in the Atlantic on June 1 and ends on November 30. Beryl is the first hurricane of the season, and the strongest storm ever recorded in July.

Experts say climate change is increasing the likelihood of stronger storms.

Photo: EPA