Trae Tha Truth’s Relief Gang quickly provided help to Houston and surrounding areas ravaged by a severe storm on Thursday (May 16). The storm caused widespread damage, resulting in at least four deaths.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire said winds reached 100 mph. Roughly 800,000 people were left without power as of Friday (May 17). Trae mobilized his Relief Gang, a volunteer group he created in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in 2017, on Thursday night.
“Tag Tha Areas That Need Assistance and Been Hit Bad,” he wrote on Instagram. “We out movin around assisting people… dm @reliefgang.”
According to Trae, the Relief Gang was out removing trees and debris until 2 a.m. He asked anyone seeking aid to contact him or his group via Instagram on Friday.
“We been out till 2am assisting people last night,” he wrote. “Today if yo house or area is damaged wit trees and debris and you need assistance dm yo number and addresses to @reliefgang and we will be pullin up to help…”
The devastating storm occurred weeks before hurricane season begins on June 1. Trae and Accuweather’s chief meteorologist Jon Porter, among others, feared the storm was just a preview of the impending hurricane season.
“The bottom line is that this was an extremely dangerous thunder and wind storm that traversed through the most populated parts of the Houston metro area,” Porter told the Houston Chronicle. “It was a truly historic storm that I think is going to be remembered for decades to come.”
He added, “It’s a reminder that we all need to be prepared.”
Damage assessments are ongoing in the Houston area. Houston’s mayor said two people were killed by falling trees. Winds knocked a crane onto a cement truck, resulting in a third death. No details were released about the fourth fatality.
