Thousands Remain Without Power in Mississippi After Devastating Ice Storm
A powerful ice storm has left thousands of people without power, with Entergy, the state's largest electric company, reporting that 75% of its customers had been restored as of Friday morning. However, a significant chunk of residents – around 4,000 or more – remain in the dark, and the utility expects some areas to be without electricity until Sunday evening.
The situation has been exacerbated by other utilities, including the Tallahatchie Valley Electric Power Association, which serves several counties in north Mississippi and has yet to provide restoration times. The ice storm has brought much of the state to a standstill, with Oxford University closed through February 8 due to the severity of the weather.
Residents are facing extreme challenges, with some families relying on generators for warmth as their homes remain without power. In one neighborhood in Oxford, several homes have been destroyed by falling trees, leaving many residents without access to basic necessities like electricity and heat.
The National Guard has been deployed to both Mississippi and neighboring Tennessee to assist with relief efforts, while volunteers from organizations such as the Cajun Navy are providing hot meals and delivering supplies to affected areas. Mayor Hal Ferrell of Batesville reported that power poles are strewn across roads, making it hazardous for residents to leave their homes.
In a surprising display of community spirit, a warehouse in Batesville has been converted into a makeshift warming shelter, with 70 people currently staying there. Ryan Celestine, the owner of an aviation school, has taken on a leadership role at the facility, helping new arrivals get settled and ensuring they have access to basic necessities like food, heat, and medical care.
As the situation continues to unfold, officials are preparing a major disaster declaration request to the White House, acknowledging the severity of the situation. With temperatures expected to plummet further over the weekend, thousands of Mississippians are bracing for a deep freeze that could push the power outage numbers even higher.
A powerful ice storm has left thousands of people without power, with Entergy, the state's largest electric company, reporting that 75% of its customers had been restored as of Friday morning. However, a significant chunk of residents – around 4,000 or more – remain in the dark, and the utility expects some areas to be without electricity until Sunday evening.
The situation has been exacerbated by other utilities, including the Tallahatchie Valley Electric Power Association, which serves several counties in north Mississippi and has yet to provide restoration times. The ice storm has brought much of the state to a standstill, with Oxford University closed through February 8 due to the severity of the weather.
Residents are facing extreme challenges, with some families relying on generators for warmth as their homes remain without power. In one neighborhood in Oxford, several homes have been destroyed by falling trees, leaving many residents without access to basic necessities like electricity and heat.
The National Guard has been deployed to both Mississippi and neighboring Tennessee to assist with relief efforts, while volunteers from organizations such as the Cajun Navy are providing hot meals and delivering supplies to affected areas. Mayor Hal Ferrell of Batesville reported that power poles are strewn across roads, making it hazardous for residents to leave their homes.
In a surprising display of community spirit, a warehouse in Batesville has been converted into a makeshift warming shelter, with 70 people currently staying there. Ryan Celestine, the owner of an aviation school, has taken on a leadership role at the facility, helping new arrivals get settled and ensuring they have access to basic necessities like food, heat, and medical care.
As the situation continues to unfold, officials are preparing a major disaster declaration request to the White House, acknowledging the severity of the situation. With temperatures expected to plummet further over the weekend, thousands of Mississippians are bracing for a deep freeze that could push the power outage numbers even higher.
And seriously, how hard is it to fix a few poles and get everyone back online? It's not like the grid is made of LEGO bricks that can be snapped easily. 
like, how can nature do this to people? and yeah i feel bad for these 4000+ ppl who still don't have power, it's just not right they gotta deal with falling trees destroying homes and generators making a mess everywhere... but on the other hand, i heard that community in batesville is coming together and setting up shelters which is actually kinda cool 
like, we should really appreciate people stepping up to help each other out. and can you believe it's oxford university getting shut down for this? that's wild 
anyway, hope everyone gets their power back on soon! 
. Like, I'm not saying it's intentional or anything, but 75% restored and still 4k+ without power? That's like, some major PR spin. And what's with all these other utilities playing hard to get? It's like they're in cahoots or something... 
. Like, who puts up a warning sign and then doesn't follow through? This whole thing is just too convenient, if you ask me 
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Can't our utility companies just keep up? Entergy is doing their best, but it's still 4k people without power in Mississippi?! And now they're expecting some areas to be dark until Sunday... that's just cruel. I feel bad for those families stuck at home with no heat or electricity. The Cajun Navy and National Guard are really stepping up though, that's awesome 
People coming together to help each other... now that's what I'm talking about! Ryan Celestine sounds like an absolute hero. Fingers crossed the major disaster declaration request gets approved and these people get the help they need 
, but I have to say, it's kinda amazing how quickly people are coming together to support each other 
. And Ryan Celestine, the aviation school owner, taking charge? Total rockstar material 
. Plus, with the National Guard and Cajun Navy on the ground, it's clear that we've got some serious support systems in place 
. Let's just focus on getting through this together, shall we? We'll get through the dark times and shine brighter than ever 
!
Can't believe these ice storms are getting so crazy! I'm literally shivering thinking about those people in Oxford without heat or electricity... like, how do you survive without power? Generators only help for so long, and then what? 
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. That warehouse in Batesville turning into a warming shelter? Mind blown 
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man oh man this ice storm has been brutal i feel so bad for those folks in mississippi still stuck without power its like, what even is life without electricity? and now with generators running all day its like someone took a big ol' sledgehammer to their wallets meanwhile the national guard and volunteers are out there making sure people have access to food heat etc...but seriously can we talk about how beautiful it is when communities come together in crisis situations? like that warehouse getting converted into a warming shelter is giving me all the feels i just hope the white house gets that disaster declaration soon so these folks can start rebuilding
at least they got some nice peeps comin in 2 help w/ supplies n support 
. And yikes, destroyed homes and power poles everywhere? That's just devastating 
. I hope they get some major help from the National Guard and volunteers soon... we gotta get these people back on their feet ASAP