Governor Reeves Updates Quitman County on Winter Storm Response, National Guard Aid

Tragically, two fatalities have been reported to the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA): One in Hinds County and one in Tishomingo County," the governor's office said, adding that "Additionally, two injuries have been reported: One injury in Hinds County and one in Smith County" and that "Life safety continues to be the state of Mississippi’s top priority."

State officials say the response centers on life safety, temporary sheltering and power restoration as crews work in difficult conditions. The governor earlier declared a State of Emergency to allow mobilization of assets, noting that "The state of Mississippi has deployed generators, pallets of water, roof tarps, blankets, pillows, and cots to counties that have requested them. Warming shelters are also being opened by counties." More than 60 warming centers are reported open across Mississippi; the governor's statement labeled the damage assessments as "PRELIMINARY and will change through the assessment process."

Quitman County is listed among 47 counties and the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians that have reported storm damage in the preliminary state tally. The broad list highlights rural and Delta communities facing utility outages, blocked roads and property damage as emergency teams begin assessments.

Power restoration remains a major operational focus. One state briefing put the outage figure at "approximately 153,000 without power across the state," while media reports cited totals of "over 100,000." Officials warn that "Weather hazards, debris, and road conditions are making it difficult to restore power," and that utility crews and mutual aid teams are working alongside state partners. State transportation officials have shifted MDOT staffing in North Mississippi to support Oxford and Lafayette County and said MDOT will send staff from further south to address I -22, I -55, Hwy 305, I -269, Hwy 302, Hwy 55, and Hwy 178.

Federal and state partners are involved in recovery efforts. Action News 5 reported that teams, including FEMA, are working to restore power with generators, and the Mississippi Forestry Commission has begun damage assessments in affected areas.

Residents are urged to follow operational safety guidance. The state advised: "Practice safe operation: Always open the damper before lighting a wood fire, use a screen or glass doors, and never leave any fireplace unattended while in use." For heaters, officials warned: "To use electric or gas-powered heaters safely, be sure to keep them 3 feet from flammable items and place them on a flat, stable surface. These should ALWAYS be plugged in directly to a wall outlet. NO EXTENSION CORDS! Properly ventilate emergency heat sources. Never leave them on unattended or while sleeping." For power outages, the state advised contacting utilities directly and not relying on social media for restoration status; utility contacts given by state briefings include Northcentral Electric Cooperative at 662-895-2151 and Entergy Mississippi at 1-800-368-3749.

Counts remain preliminary and varied across reports; the governor's office and MEMA emphasize the data will change as assessments continue. For Quitman County residents, the immediate priorities are shelter if needed, safe heating practices, reporting outages to your provider, and checking MDOTtraffic and the MEMA website for road and warming-center updates as crews continue work.