u.s president joe biden has declared a
state of
major disaster in texas following
crippling winter weather
at least two dozen people died in the
unusual cold
which also disrupted electricity and
water supplies
dw's carolina chinoy reports from
houston
texas is not out of the woods yet
thousands of families have been arriving
in their cars to the mass distribution
center
in the city of houston the shortage of
water
is now the biggest challenge
we don't have drinking water but some
households don't even have running water
at all
not even to take a shower and if the
stores have water you have to line up
and the purchase is limited
now the city is trying to help millions
of bottles of water
are being distributed in a coordinated
effort with dozens of volunteers
each car gets no more than three cases
regardless of how many family members
but they have to be able to pick it up
in downtown houston
we're outside of houston city limits
it's areas like these that have been
hardest hit
by the power crisis and the snowstorm we
can still
see damaged furniture on the sidewalks
and families
they are struggling with the shortage of
water government aid
barely arrives here roland granacho has
been collecting groceries and water
all day long he distributes this to the
community out of his garage
to people who don't have a car or who
have to work during the day
in my community people are able to pick
up things during the night
this is what i do for them i distribute
the help from 7 pm
sometimes until midnight i know this is
the only time they have
i want to help
roland used to work as a case manager
for a lawyer
he lost his job due to the pandemic but
at least he now has the time to help his
community
no if it wasn't for him we wouldn't have
water at home not even
it's going to take some months before
things get back to normal in texas
at least the weather forecast isn't
predicting any more winter storms