TheStateofTexas,locatedinthesouthernpartoftheUnitedStates,experiencedariseintemperatureonFebruary20afterencounteringararewinterstorm.However,localsuppliesoffoodanddrinkingwaterarestilltight.Inaddition,pricesofsomelifesuppliesandelectricityarealsorisingsuddenlyandsharply.BymonitoringthenationalelectricitysupplywebsiteintheUS,bytheafternoonofFebruary20,therewereover54,000householdswithpoweroutagethroughoutTexas,whichwasadrasticdeclinefromFebruary19.However,therewerestillover150,000householdswithwateroutageorhadabnormaltapwaterquality.SourceswiththeTexasEnvironmentalQualityBureausaidthatwatersupplyconditionswerestillimproving.ByFebruary20,foodsuppliesinTexashadalsonotreturnedtonormal.Instantfoodsweresoldoutatbigsupermarkets,meats,eggs,dairyproducts,vegetablesandfruitshadanevidentlackofstock.Manygrocerystoreswerealsosellingbottledwateratalimitedquantity.AtthepressconferenceheldonFebruary20,TexasauthoritiesstatedthatTexashadordered10millionbottlesofbottledwaterandover5millionportionsofinstantfood,whichthegovernmentwouldgiveouttoallthoseinneed.Inaddition,Texashad331centersforprotectionagainstthecoldwhichwerestillopen.InHouston,Dallas,andothermajorcitiesinTexas,forthelastfewdays,manygroupswereprovidingfreebottledwaterandfoodforcitizens.WhenTexasresidentswerestillworriedaboutfoodanddrinkingwater,somefamilieshadreceivedsky-highelectricitybillsinsurprise.AnorthernTexasresidenttoldFoxNewsthatheisaclientofGriddyEnergyCompany,duringthewinterstorm,whiletheentirefamilytriedtosaveelectricalenergyasmuchaspossible,theelectricityexpenditureoverthefivedayswasashighas17,000dollars.AnotherHoustonresidentstatedthatherelectricitybillforthepreviousweekwas5,500dollars.GriddyEnergyCompanyimplementsfloatingelectricitypricing.Beforethewinterstorm,thecompanysuggestedconsumerstoswitchtootherenergysupplierstoavoidhighelectricitycharges.However,manyconsumersfindthatothersupplierswerenottakinginnewconsumersatthetime,ortakemanydaystocompleteproceedings.Asidefromsky-highelectricityprices,recently,Texanshavefeltclearriseinthepricesofhotel,gas,andevenbottledwater.OnFebruary20,gaspricesinmajorTexancitieshadrisen10to20percentcomparedtobeforethewinterstorm.Otherreportsfoundthatsomefraudulentsellersweresplittingentireboxesofbottledwaterandsellingthemseparately.Thepriceofeachbottlewastwoorthreetimestheiroriginalprice.Officialshaveexpressedthatcertainfraudulentsellerswereusingthenaturaldisasterasanopportunitytomakeexorbitantprofits.HoustonopenedthepricereportsystemonFebruary17,andreceived450complaintsinthefirst20hours.AccordingtoTexaslaw,randomlyelevatingthepricesoffood,medicine,gasandothernecessitiesisanillegalbehavior.Thegovernmentcallsonresidentstokeepreportingonthephenomenonofforcinguptheprice.Thisrarelyseencoldcurrenthasdirectlyandindirectlycausedthedeathofdozensofpeople.Specialistspredictthatastimegoesby,relateddeathtollwillcontinuetogoup.Furthermore,extremeweathersarecausingCOVID-19vaccinesupplyandinoculationinTexastoexperiencealarge-scaledelay.Sincetheaccumulationofsnowandiceledtothesuspensionofvaccinetransportation,manyvaccineinoculationcentershavebeenforcedtoclose,andsomereservedinoculationshavebeencanceled.TheU.S.DepartmentofHealthsaidthatonlywhenroadconditionsimprovecaninoculationworkresume.TheUSgovernmentdeclaredcertainregionsinTexastohaveentered“majordisasterstatus”.Thefederalgovernment’srescueworkersandsuppliesarearrivinginsuccession.Contributedby:GaoLu,XinhuaNewsAgencyHoustonBranch