12 East Texas Deaths Are Now Officially Winter Storm 2021 Related

Texas Department of State Health Services has made a final report almost a year after the February 2021 winter storm. In the report they have attributed 246 deaths to the Texas winter storm nearing it's one-year anniversary.

161 deaths were from extreme cold exposure. 25 or 10.2% were from pre-existing illnesses made worse by the storm.

22 of the deaths in Texas were from automobile fatalities. 18 deaths were from carbon monoxide poisoning, 7 from fire, and 9 from falls.

3 dead in Nacogdoches County from Carbon Monoxide Poisoning 

Of those 246 deaths, 12 of them happened in Deep/Central East Texas. Nacogdoches County had the highest number of fatalities.

3 of the 4 people that died in Nacogdoches County during the storm were in the Melrose community. They died of carbon monoxide poisoning caused by a generator running too close to their residence.

The victims were identified as Deborah Wright, 63, James Harkness Jr., 60, both from Nacogdoches, and Richard Woodard, 42, from Mt. Enterprise.

Winter Storm Deaths in East Texas Counties 

• Angelina - 1
• Cherokee - 1
• Houston - 0
• Jasper - 1
• Nacogdoches - 4
• Newton - 0
• Polk - 2
• Rusk - 1
• Sabine - 0
• San Augustine - 0
• Shelby -0
• San Jacinto
• Trinity -1
• Tyler - 1

The dates of the deaths that are related to the winter storm were from February 11th, 2021 - February 23rd. The most deaths in Texas came on February 16th, 2021.

The older someone was the more likely they would have issues during the winter storm. 67.7 percent of those that died in Texas were over 60.

Over 10 percent of the people that died were because of disruption of dialysis or oxygen treatment and the freezing of medical devices and medication.

Though one death is too many, compared to larger counties in the state, we faired okay during the storm. Our cold temperatures today bring up old wounds. Hopefully we are more prepared for this year's freezing temperatures.