Earlier this week, the accumulation of ice and snow made the roads in town impassible. The conditions concerned the district on how they planned on taking care of their students.
US President Joe Biden has approved a disaster declaration for the state of Texas following a crippling winter storm. At least two dozen Texans have died in the unusually cold weather, which also disrupted electricity and water supplies.
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On Monday night, the temperature in Lake Charles, Louisiana dipped to 14 degrees Fahrenheit (minus-10 degrees Celsius), more than 30 degrees Fahrenheit (16.7 degrees Celsius) below average. Hours later, just before the sun rose on Tuesday morning, the city’s power supply abruptly shut off, taking the six local water plants offline with it. When residents woke up, some found themselves cold and in the dark, their water pressure low if working at all.
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Similar experiences have been reported across the central and southern U.S. this week as a historic cold snap revealed significant infrastructure issues. Texas in particular made headlines as it plunged into a week-long emergency and, according to ERCOT officials, was just “seconds and minutes” away from a months-long one. Areas outside the state have received less attention, though the unprecedented cold has created similar issues.