Winter storm raises Mississippi death toll to 14; damages widespread
Four more people have died in Mississippi from severe winter weather, bringing the statewide death toll to 14, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said. The agency asked Mississippians to keep the families in their thoughts and prayers.
MEMA said damage assessments so far show 223 homes, 10 businesses and seven farms damaged, destroyed or affected. The agency reported 20 public roads with major damage, 50 with minor damage and 12 destroyed; two bridges have sustained minor damage. MEMA said those numbers are expected to rise as assessments continue.
The Mississippi Department of Transportation said crews continue to clear problem areas on Interstates 55, 22, 69, 269 and 302 and U.S. highways 72 and 61, where black ice and refreezing have created hazardous conditions. The Mississippi Department of Public Safety and MDOT are opening portions of I-55 north incrementally, and officials urged motorists to monitor MDOT and DPS media alerts for updates on road conditions.
The Mississippi State Department of Health said it has ambulances and personnel staged in Yalobusha and Tippah counties and is setting up a medical needs shelter in Lafayette County. MEMA said it is deploying requested personnel and coordinating with the Mississippi National Guard, which has delivered supplies by truck and Chinook helicopter and is mobilizing additional soldiers to assist response efforts.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has helped install 45 generators at critical sites, including water systems, warming centers, correctional and long-term care facilities. FEMA is filling the state’s request for generators, water, meals, cots, blankets, tarps, medical-grade oxygen cylinders and Starlink equipment, MEMA said. Power companies have restored many services, but about 98,850 outages remain statewide, down from a peak of roughly 180,000.
Volunteer groups and businesses are coordinating with MEMA to provide chainsaw teams, mass feeding, laundry and showers and other support. Officials urged volunteers not to self-deploy and directed people to MEMA’s winter weather page for ways to help. The National Weather Service is forecasting another weekend of extremely cold temperatures. This is a developing story and will be updated as more details emerge.
