Hurricane Beryl leaves 1.7m people in Texas without power amid extreme heat

Governor Greg Abbott faces criticism for his absence, while heat index is expected to reach 105F today in Houston

Nearly 1.7 million people in Texas are entering a third day without power in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl. The acting governor, Dan Patrick, said in a statement that bringing back power will be a multi-day restoration event".

Governor Greg Abbott, who is on a trip to Asia, is facing criticism for his absence from the state during a natural disaster.