A home is severely damaged by a fallen tree after heavy winds and rains ripped through the region. At least four people were killed after severe storms with winds of up to 100 mph hit Houston, littering downtown with broken glass as more than 420,000 power outages were reported. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images)

A ferocious line of severe storms barreled through Houston on Thursday afternoon and evening, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake. The potent system claimed at least four lives, shattered windows in downtown high-rises, caused widespread damage, and knocked out power to nearly 900,000 customers across the area.

Hundreds of thousands remained without power into late Friday night, and some have been told their power may not come back on for a few days.

In the aftermath, Mayor John Whitmire confirmed the four fatalities and urged Houstonians to stay home, saying, “If you’re not an essential worker, don’t go to work tomorrow.”

The mayor stated that the city is reaching out to private companies, asking them to allow employees to remain home on Friday to keep streets clear for recovery efforts.

Officials are also investigating a possible fifth fatality related to the storms, which prompted Friday’s cancellation of classes at all Houston ISD campuses along with other large districts including Cy-Fair, Channelview, Alief and Crosby.

“We’re in recovery mode,” Whitmire said, acknowledging that it could take 24 to 48 hours to restore normalcy in some areas.

The mayor painted a grim picture of downtown Houston, describing it as “a mess” with firefighters working to remove live wires from highways. “Stay away from downtown because of the glass and debris,” he warned.

The storms’ impact overwhelmed CenterPoint Energy, the utility company responsible for power restoration. In a statement, the company cautioned customers that outage updates and estimated restoration times might be delayed or unavailable, asking for patience as crews worked tirelessly.

Videos and eyewitness accounts depicted scenes of chaos, with an army of tow truck drivers rescuing stranded motorists from flash-flooded streets. One video from the Cypress area near Towne Lake appeared to show a funnel cloud or possible tornado, though details await confirmation from the National Weather Service.

Damage is seen after heavy winds and rains ripped through the region. At least four people were killed after severe storms with winds of up to 100 mph hit Houston, littering downtown with broken glass as more than 420,000 power outages were reported. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images)

As Houston begins the arduous task of cleaning up and assessing the full extent of the damage, Mayor Whitmire’s message to residents was clear: “It’s all hands on deck tonight. Stay at home tonight, stay at home tomorrow.”