Millions of South Americans are heading for another night of icy temperatures without clean water or enough to eat. At food banks and water distribution sites, the lines now extend up to a mile.
President Biden says he will sign a new declaration of emergency for the state of Texas, where half the state is still under a boiling water warning. Millions more in Louisiana and Mississippi face the same crisis Friday night.
Things are so bad in San Antonio that firefighters fought to get water from the hydrants to fight a huge blaze. Thousands of homes have been destroyed by pipes that have exploded and now families are worried how they will pay for cleaning.
At least 44 deaths have been linked to severe weather this week. The economic toll from the storms could reach $ 50 billion.
In Houston, Andrew Rudnick has called in at least 100 plumbers to repair their blast pipes. Rudnick and his wife Megan have a 6-month-old daughter, Reese, and are desperate for help.
“What is it like to have a 6-month-old baby without water at home for days and days?” CBS News asked.
“It’s scary to have to ask a neighbor to use the outside hose to fill a pot so you can boil water for your baby’s baby bottles,” Megan said.
They are also worried about mold and may have to tear down walls.
“It’s definitely overwhelming, we’re just talking about where we’re going to stay tonight,” Andrew Rudnick said.
Half of the state’s population (more than 14 million) still does not have drinking water. In the Dallas area, they are preparing to deliver 25,000 packages this weekend. Beyond Texas, faucets are dry in parts of Louisiana and Mississippi as crews run to thaw frozen water networks.
The storm stopped millions, but not Jenny Passman’s baby. She had to give birth in her living room, with no electricity or running water.
It could be next week before the warning about boiling water is lifted, according to Texas officials.
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