Beryl live updates: At least 4 dead, more than 2 million power outages reported in Houston area

What happened

• Hurricane Beryl made landfall as a Category 1 storm near Matagorda, Texas, early Monday.

• It is the 10th hurricane on record to make landfall in Texas in July.

• Beryl was downgraded to a tropical storm as it moved inland, triggering flash floods and possible tornadoes.

• More than 2.7 million customers lost power in the Houston area, and as of Monday evening the number was still about 2 million.

• At least four deaths in Texas have been blamed on the storm so far.

What's next

• Beryl is expected to weaken as it takes a turn toward the northeast and will soon be downgraded to a tropical depression.

• The storm is expected to move through the Lower Mississippi Valley into the Ohio Valley on Tuesday and Wednesday.

• Weather forecasters and officials tracking Beryl are urging those in its path not to let their guard down.

Read more: Beryl knocks out power to more than 2 million, leaves 4 dead, after making landfall as Category 1 hurricane

Houston Mayor John Whitmire announced two more deaths from Beryl in an afternoon news conference. The deaths bring the total of those killed in the storm to at least four.

Whitmire said it was an "all hands on deck" situation for crews in the wake of the storm's destruction, and he urged residents to not venture outside if possible and to take care of their families and neighbors.

A storm surge warning caused by elevated water levels remains in effect for the Galveston, Texas, area, including Galveston Bay, north of San Luis Pass to Sabine Pass, which is east of Houston, according to the National Hurricane Center. There will still be considerable flash flooding throughout Monday night across some of the Upper Texas Coast and East Texas.

A tropical storm warning is also in effect for the Texas oast from north of Port Bolivar to Sabine Pass.

Maximum sustained winds have decreased to about 45 mph, with higher wind gusts of 56 mph reported near Sabine Pass.

The center of Tropical Storm Beryl is moving northeast, out of southeast Texas, as of 3 p.m. CT, according to the National Weather Service center in Houston.

Conditions are reportedly improving as "light to moderate rain" continues farther inland. Cleanup in the region has begun following widespread damage.

Internet connectivity has been disrupted in the Houston area due to widespread power outages, according to Houston's NBC affiliate.

Comcast has offered free Wi-Fi hotspots in the region to help support residents.

Here's how to take advantage:

• View the hotspot location map at wifi.xfinity.com or download the Xfinity app from the App Store or Google Play.

• Select the network name “xfinitywifi” from the Wi-Fi menu to connect and launch your preferred browser.

The National Hurricane Center is warning Texas residents to "use caution and remain vigilant during the cleanup phase," even after Beryl leaves the area.

"Use Caution After the Storm as Deadly Hazards Remain Including Downed Powerlines and Carbon Monoxide Poisoning From Improper Generator Use," NHC wrote in a post on X Monday.

Here are some tips from the NHC for staying safe after Beryl passes:

• Clean up safely, but don't push yourself

• Follow the direction of officials if you have evacuated and want to return home

• Use generators outdoors and place them 20 feet or more from your home

• Brace for the potential of help and communications being unavailable

• Check on your neighbors

The National Hurricane Center reported Monday afternoon that maximum sustained winds from Tropical Storm Beryl had decreased to about 60 mph, with higher wind gusts up to 58 mph near the entrance to Galveston Bay. The NHC is now predicting that Beryl will become a post-tropical cyclone on Tuesday.

Meteorologists warn that flash flooding and gusty winds are still happening across eastern Texas.

A tropical storm warning and storm surge warning are also in effect for the Galveston area, including Galveston Bay, north of San Luis Pass to Sabine Pass, which is east of Houston.

Reuters reports:

Strong winds are still bearing down in eastern Texas, creating "very hazardous conditions," according to the National Hurricane Center.

Conroe-North Houston Regional Airport reported a wind gust of 81 mph at 12 p.m. CT.

Maximum sustained winds of 65 mph have also been reported around the area.

Bryce Newberry, a reporter for Houston's NBC affiliate, posted videos on X of damage around the Houston area caused by Beryl.

One video shows construction materials flying off of a high-rise structure in Houston's museum district. Newberry says the construction had been halted for several months.

Another video shows debris from Beryl that collapsed onto power lines in the South Loop part of the city.

A downed power line caused a possible electrical fire to break out at a Houston flea market, damaging four units of the market, Newberry reported. There were reportedly no injuries.

A man was rescued by Houston firefighters near the city's Astrodome after he became trapped in his pickup truck by floodwaters.

Nick Natario, a reporter from ABC's Houston affiliate, posted video and pictures on X that showed the man on top of his white pickup truck in the middle of high floodwaters that filled Texas state Highway 288 on Monday. The video shows the man in a life jacket putting a life preserver around his body. Pictures showed him being taken out of the water and helped to solid ground.

He was taken away from the scene by ambulance.

Weather forecasters tracking Beryl are urging those in the tropical storm's path not to let their guard down even as the storm weakens this week.

"Beryl has been a resilient storm ever since it exploded into a Category 5 hurricane in the Caribbean last week," Alex DaSilva, AccuWeather's lead hurricane expert, said in a news release. "People in the path of Beryl's track should not let their guard down this week. Beryl will bring the risk of tornadoes as far away as Ohio. Downpours from Beryl could also cause flash flooding as far north as Detroit, more than 1,100 miles from where Beryl made landfall in Texas."

The storm, which was downgraded from a Category 1 hurricane to a tropical storm earlier Monday, is expected to continue weakening as it moves northeast from Texas through Arkansas and into Missouri and the upper Midwest.

Tropical Storm Beryl continues to cause widespread power outages in Texas as it moves inland.

According to PowerOutage.us, there are now more than 2.5 million customers without power, or roughly 20% of the state.

Tropical storm Beryl is continuing to move over eastern Texas Monday but will make its way through the lower Mississippi Valley into the Ohio Valley on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Here's the latest from NHC's 10 a.m. CT advisory:

• Wind: Maximum sustained winds are near 70 mph, with higher "damaging wind gusts." The conditions are likely to continue within the tropical storm warning area for the next several hours.

• Storm surge: The combination of storm surge and tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water could reach up to 4 to 6 feet in places like Freeport and Galveston Bay.

• Rainfall: The upper Texas coast and eastern Texas are expected to receive as much as 15 inches of rain into Monday night. Meteorologists warn of "considerable flash and urban flooding as well as minor to isolated major river flooding." Southeastern Oklahoma, Arkansas and southern Missouri are also expected to receive 3-5 inches of rainfall Monday night into Tuesday.

• Tornadoes: Parts of east Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas could experience several tornadoes through Monday night.

• Surf: Swells around eastern Mexico and the northern and western Gulf Coast of the U.S. are expected to cause "life-threatening surf and rip current conditions" into the next day.

A tornado watch that was issued along Beryl's path in Texas has been expanded to include parts of Louisiana and Arkansas, the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center said in its most recent outlook.

"Several tornadoes will be possible today, in association with Tropical Cyclone Beryl, from southeast Texas into northwest Louisiana and far southwest Arkansas," the center's forecast said, adding that there is "an enhanced risk of severe thunderstorms" for the same areas.

Earlier Monday, tornado warnings were issued for the Houston area. They were lifted late Monday morning.

The Harris County Flood Control District’s Flood Warning System continuously monitors rainfall and water levels in the Houston-based county.

As Beryl moves across Texas, bring with it life-threatening wind, rain and storm surge, Gov. Greg Abbott is on a previously scheduled trip to East Asia.

"While I am in Taiwan, South Korea & Japan working on business deals worth billions, I remain in daily contact with Texas Division of Emergency Management & local officials to ensure preparation for Hurricane Beryl," Abbott said in a post on X Sunday. "Your safety is our top concern."

After Beryl made landfall near Matagorda, Texas, early Monday, Abbott posted a photos from what he described as a "very productive afternoon in Seoul."

Hurricane Beryl pummeled the Texas coastline early Monday as a Category 1 storm, bringing with it life-threatening winds and and major power outages. Wind speeds were reported as high as 94 mph, and flood warnings were issued across several areas of the Texas coast.

As of 10 a.m. CT on Monday, Beryl had been downgraded to a tropical storm as it continued to move inland across eastern Texas.

Last week, Beryl emerged as the earliest Category 5 storm on record in the Atlantic, sweeping a path of destruction in the eastern Caribbean and Jamaica before crossing into Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula and the Gulf of Mexico. At least 11 people were reported killed in the Caribbean.

Here are some photos from Beryl's path: