Much like Claressa Shields’ fights in the ring, Houston encountered one of the harshest storms of recent times on Friday. And ‘The Goat’ has taken to social media, voicing her prayers for the people living in the storm-stricken largest city of Texas. According to several sources, seven people have lost their lives in Houston and the surrounding counties after harsh winds ripped power lines and trees, toppling brick walls.

Officials have confirmed that three of the known deaths happened in Harris County while the other four were in Houston. Following the storm, the National Weather Service revealed that an EF-1 tornado with 110 mph hit Cypress while straight-line winds ravaged Houston, peaking at 100 mph. Seeing this horrific event unfold in the city, Shields hopped on X hours ago, urging her fans to pray for the residents of Houston to help see them through this fury of nature.

She wrote, “Pray for Houston that tornado was bad.” Despite Shields’ fervent prayer, tragically, the lives of seven individuals were lost. In fact, the three victims of the tornado from Harris County were: a man attempting to move a downed power line collapsed, and another woman who perished in a trailer struck by lightning, igniting a fatal fire. Tragically, another individual succumbed after venturing out to his truck to connect an oxygen tank during the power outage.

Meanwhile, in Houston, two souls met their end beneath the weight of falling trees, victims of relentless winds. Another life was claimed when a towering crane fell on a person owing to the storm’s force. The cause of death for the fourth individual remains a mystery, the circumstances shrouded in a veil of uncertainty. In the wake of this tragedy, Houston officials have reacted to the situation.

Besides Claressa Shields, Houston reacts to the severe calamity

Reflecting on the severity of the storm, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, the top government executive in the county, said on Friday, “This kind of wind is something we have not seen in Harris County since Hurricane Alicia in 1983.” In fact, Hurricane Alicia was small in comparison, yet it was a category three event when it arrived in San Luis Pass back on August 18, 983. 

As per weather service, that storm had killed twenty-one people while the total damage from the storm staggered over $3 billion. Even Houston Mayor John Whitmire chimed in, suggesting the storm was “an exceptionally strong storm,” adding, “Houstonians, stay at home tonight. The recovery will go through to tomorrow.”

While it’s a small part, Claressa Shields didn’t shy away from showing her support for the people in Houston going through unbelievable adversities in such dire times. Were you in Houston?