Two dead, thousands without power as winter storm grips Mississippi; DeSoto County officials urge continued caution

JACKSON, Miss. – Gov. Tate Reeves confirmed Monday that at least two people have died and thousands remain without power as Mississippi grapples with a devastating winter storm.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) reported fatalities in Hinds and Tishomingo counties. Two additional injuries have been confirmed in Hinds and Smith counties as extreme cold and hazardous road conditions continue to paralyze much of the state.

DeSoto County Impact and Response

While 47 counties have reported damage, DeSoto County officials say they were spared the worst of the ice accumulation that struck neighboring areas.

“First, although this is a mess for our county, we are so blessed to not have received the ice our neighboring counties received,” said Chris Olson, DeSoto County Emergency Services Director. “Prayers for them.”

Olson noted that travel conditions and extreme cold represent the primary impacts in the county. However, the weight of accumulated sleet has caused structural damage in some areas.

“There are some locations where sheds and wide-span storage buildings collapsed from the weight of the sleet,” Olson said, adding that there have been no reported injuries to civilians or pets from these collapses thus far.

State and Federal Response Efforts

Governor Reeves emphasized that “life safety” remains the state’s primary focus. FEMA is currently on the ground in Mississippi coordinating the distribution of 30 generators and fuel, while MEMA continues to deploy bottled water, MREs, cots, and blankets.

In DeSoto County, Olson credited early warnings for keeping injury numbers low despite several vehicle accidents on slick roads.

“Overall, I feel [accidents are] much less than anticipated due to citizens listening to the early warnings and staying home where it’s much safer,” Olson said. “Shelter-in-place has also kept fire and EMS calls to a minimum. We appreciate our citizens acting on the weather safety messaging.”

Power Outages and Dangerous Cold

Utility companies report that approximately 153,000 customers remain without electricity statewide. Restoration efforts are being hampered by downed trees and icy road conditions.

Entergy power outage map

Northcentral Electric Cooperative outage map

With dangerous cold predicted to persist through Tuesday morning, more than 60 warming centers have been opened across the state. Officials urge residents to stay off the roads unless travel is absolutely necessary.

Damage Reporting

Residents who have sustained property damage are encouraged to:

1. File an insurance claim immediately.
2. Document the damage with detailed photographs.
3. Report damage to local emergency managers or MEMA via the state’s online self-report tool.