Two people have died and two were injured in Mississippi as a result of Winter Storm Fern, Gov. Tate Reeves confirmed Monday morning.
Hinds County Coroner Jeramiah Howard reported that Bobbie Freeman, 66, passed away over the weekend. The incident occurred on St. Thomas Parkway in Bolton, where Freeman is said to have abandoned his vehicle at some point on Saturday night after it had veered off the road.
Freeman was found deceased in a driveway on Sunday around 9 a.m., roughly a mile away from his vehicle, after being exposed to below-freezing conditions from Saturday night into the morning.
The other death was reported from Tishomingo County. On Sunday around 11 a.m., Timothy Steele, 73, was found deceased after an ice-laden tree limb had fallen through his mobile home. Steele was believed to be sleeping when the tree uprooted, and the limb crashed down, trapping him beneath it. It happened off CR 172, about two miles west of Iuka. Storm-related injuries were reported in Hinds and Smith counties, though details have not been released at this time.
Though Fern has passed through Mississippi, its effects are continuing to be felt across the state, with iced-over roads, downed power lines, fallen tree debris, and other conditions posing a safety hazard.
Reeves noted that state agencies and utility crews are still in the “assessment phase,” meaning officials are examining the damage done in the 47 counties impacted by the storm. Once the assessment phase is over, the governor will order the appropriate agencies to deploy resources to areas in need.
“Mississippi is still in the damage assessment phase. Those assessments are ongoing, and we are working with local emergency managers to get a complete picture of damage in their respective communities. Once those assessments are complete, the state of Mississippi will deploy additional resources as necessary to help communities recover,” Reeves said. “The state of Mississippi’s total focus is on responding to this severe winter storm and keeping Mississippians safe. We are using a whole-of-government approach and will use every tool at our disposal to help Mississippians recover.”
In the meantime, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is currently on the ground in Mississippi to distribute generators and fuel. The agency is also working to assist local emergency management crews, as they deploy generators, bottled water, meals, cots, and blankets to counties affected by the storm. More supplies from the federal government are en route to Mississippi, per the governor.
As of Monday around noon, more than 150,000 Mississippians remained without power, and a multitude of roads, particularly in the northern region, are not safely navigable. Residents in impacted areas are asked to stay at home until told otherwise, unless an emergency arises. For those in need of a warming shelter, more than 60 are open in Mississippi. A list of where they are can be found here.
“Please continue to check on your friends, family, and neighbors. Dangerous cold is expected to continue throughout Tuesday morning,” Reeves added. “Please stay home, stay off the roads, and stay warm. Mississippians who need to warm up may seek shelter at a county or city-run warming center in their area. More than 60 warming centers are open throughout the state.”