Five more deaths have been reported in Mississippi from severe winter weather, the state said, including one in Yazoo County, one in Lafayette County, one in Benton County and two in Panola County. Utility crews have reduced outages to about 61,100, down from a peak of roughly 180,000, the post said.
State officials said 41 counties have submitted 571 requests for assistance and personnel and resources continue to be deployed to impacted areas. The Mississippi Department of Transportation is performing winter weather treatments on state-maintained roads; officials urged residents to check live road conditions via the MDOT Traffic app or at mdottraffic.com.
Dangerously cold temperatures are expected to continue through the weekend, the post said. There are currently 84 warming centers and shelters open across 49 counties serving about 1,200 residents, and medical shelters in Lafayette and Alcorn counties are tending to 26 patients. The state posted a list of open centers at msema.org.
A state Facebook post said the Mississippi National Guard deployment has been extended by seven days. It said 650 soldiers are carrying out missions in north Mississippi, including civilian support and route clearance in Tippah County, drone support in Lafayette County, road clearance and refueling operations in Panola County, and water assistance in Union County.
Other state agencies and volunteer groups are assisting. The post said the Mississippi Department of Health has deployed Shelter Strike Teams, Medical Needs Shelters and ambulance personnel to Alcorn and Lafayette counties; the Mississippi Forestry Commission sent personnel to Tippah and Holmes counties for debris and saw work; the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks deployed officers for welfare checks; the Mississippi State Department of Health sent two ambulances with four personnel; and the Mississippi Highway Patrol has more than 30 officers on traffic and rescue duty. Volunteer groups named included The Salvation Army, American Red Cross, Samaritan’s Purse, Cajun Navy and Team Rubicon, among others.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more details emerge.
