9 million on alert for tropical storm Nicholas 2:50
(CNN) -
Hurricane Nicholas made landfall early Tuesday along the Texas coast, threatening to hit the state with high winds, rain and potential flooding.
Nicholas made landfall near the eastern part of the Matagorda Peninsula, about 10 miles west-southwest of Sargent Beach, Texas, around 1:30 a.m. ET Tuesday.
Follow the trajectory of Nicholas in real time
As of 2:00 am ET, more than 112,000 customers had already lost power in the state, according to PowerOutage.US.
Nicholas gained strength in the Gulf of Mexico Monday night, reaching a Category 1 hurricane strength with 75 mph winds, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
On Monday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed an emergency declaration, warning residents to be prepared for the next "substantial water event."
Abbott said people needed to be prepared for "extreme high water events, including flooding and potential damage from rain."
He added that there was also the possibility that the system could generate tornadoes.
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A hurricane warning is in effect for Port O'Connor to Freeport, and a hurricane watch is in effect for Freeport to San Luis Pass, Texas, the NHC said.
After making landfall, the center of the storm is expected to move over southeast Texas before reaching southwest Louisiana Wednesday night, the center said.
Nicholas is expected to weaken during that time.
Texas prepares for a heavy rain
In Houston, city officials and first responders were preparing for significant amounts of rain and wind.
"We expect four to seven inches of rain overnight, as well as some wind, which could lead to some power outages," said Mayor Sylvester Turner.
More than 330 flights to or from Houston's William P. Hobby and George Bush Intercontinental airports have already been canceled as of Tuesday, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware.
The Houston Independent School District and the Galveston Independent School District announced Monday that schools in the area would be closed Tuesday.
As the state prepared for the storm, Abbott said it had reached out to officials along the Gulf Coast "to make sure that we are working collaboratively, to make sure that, locally, we will be prepared for it. that may bring the storm. "
Abbott said the state would survive the storm as it had many others, but urged Texas to heed local warnings.
"It seems like every time it rains a lot in the Houston area, there are people who drive into high tide and sometimes lose their vehicles and worse, sometimes lose their lives. Your life is the most important thing. you got, "Abbott said.
"Please be careful traveling around the Houston area in the Harris County area for the next few days."
Louisiana's Recovery Efforts Are Threatened
A state of emergency has also been declared in Louisiana, which is still recovering from the devastating impacts of Hurricane Ida two weeks ago.
"The most serious threat to Louisiana is in the southwestern part of the state, where the recovery from Hurricane Laura and the May floods continue," said Governor John Bel Edwards.
"In this area, there may be heavy rain and flash flooding. However, all of southern Louisiana is also likely to experience heavy rain this week, including areas recently affected by Hurricane Ida."
Ida's death toll in the state rose to 28 as the East Baton Rouge parish coroner confirmed two additional storm-related deaths, according to a tweet Monday from the Louisiana Department of Health.
The Health Department reported the deaths of a 69-year-old man and an 85-year-old woman, both of whom died due to excessive heat during a prolonged blackout.
Continued restoration efforts after Ida could slow down and some of what has already been restored could be lost for some time due to Nicholas, Edwards said in a briefing on Monday.
As of early Tuesday morning, more than 94,000 customers in Louisiana were still without power, according to PowerOutage.US.
Regarding preparations for Nicholas, the National Guard will organize 80 high water vehicles, 23 boats and 15 aircraft through southwestern Louisiana and into central Louisiana by the end of the day and will remain in response position in southeastern Louisiana. if necessary, Edwards said.
CNN's Deanna Hackney, Amy Simonson, Raja Razek, Carma Hassan, Gregory Lemos, and Rebekah Ries contributed to this report.
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