The number of people reported dead in the aftermath of winter storms that pummelled Texas in February now stands at 111, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS).
The agency reported the state-wide total on Thursday in its weekly report of winter storm-related deaths.
The deaths included in the Thursday report occurred between February 11 and March 5 and the majority of deaths reported to DSHS were associated with hypothermia.
“There have also been multiple deaths caused by motor vehicle accidents, carbon monoxide poisoning, medical equipment failure, exacerbation of chronic illness, lack of home oxygen, falls, and fire,” the report read.
February’s winter storm blanketed large swaths of Texas in snow and ice and left millions without power or clean water for days in below-freezing temperatures.
The issues laid bare by the freeze have taken center stage at the Texas Legislature. A Texas Senate committee on Thursday advanced a wide-ranging bill that would, among other things, mandate that power and natural gas companies upgrade their facilities to withstand severe weather.
The law would also create a state-wide emergency alert system for future large-scale power outages.