Electrical service is slowly returning in regions of north Mississippi and the Delta after this past weekend’s ice storm, even as brutally cold temperatures linger in many places.
State and local officials stressed Wednesday that major obstacles remain for restoring power, clearing roads and providing water.
Officials with state departments of Transportation and Public Safety both warned of traveling woes. Late Tuesday, a combination of ice and wrecks brought traffic to a standstill on Interstate 55 and Interstate 22 in north Mississippi.
Social media posts recounted people in frigid conditions being stranded on the highways all night.
On Wednesday evening, the highways were closed for northbound traffic from Batesville to Senatobia on I-55 and for all lanes of I-22/U.S. 78 from the Tennessee state line to Red Banks, northwest of Holly Springs
“If you are on Interstate-55 north of Batesville or on Interstate-22 north of Lake Center, please turn around immediately,” the Department of Public Safety warned in a frantic social media post. “Road crews are currently working to remove stranded vehicles from the interstate. These roadways are in extremely dangerous condition. Additionally, other state highways and county roads may also present similar conditions. Please only travel in north Mississippi if necessary and use extreme caution.”
One person posted on social media that he was trapped on I-55 from 6 p.m. Tuesday until 6 a.m. Wednesday,
Gov. Tate Reeves said Wednesday that storm also has resulted at least 10 deaths. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency reported a fatality each in Jefferson and Lincoln counties related to the use of gas space heaters and another in Alcorn County along the border with Tennessee connected to the use of a gas oven in an attempt to stay warm. Five fire deaths in the aftermath of the storm are under investigation.
“Because many roads are still impassable, responding to some of these fire scenes has been slow,” State Fire Marshal and Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney said. “In some areas, fire departments are unable to respond at all. What we’re seeing, and have seen historically, is improper heating issues like getting space heaters too close to bedding or using outdoor heating equipment indoors. I cannot overstate the importance of safely using heating equipment and having a working smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm. I pray we don’t see more loss of life as extreme cold is predicted to continue for several days.”
President Donald Trump on Saturday approved an emergency declaration for Mississippi for this winter storm. State and local officials are assessing damage, which is one step toward Reeves declaring a disaster and asking the Federal Emergency Management Agency for aid, the governor said Wednesday. Reeves said assessing damage takes longer after an ice storm than after a tornado, partly because of widespread power outages.
Tippah Electric Power Association, which serves areas along the border with Tennessee in north Mississippi, announced it would begin restoring power by prioritizing medical facilities and nursing homes, water distribution systems, grocery stores and gas stations. Then “our focus will be restoring the largest number of customers the quickest.”
Tippah Power Association’s service area was hit especially hard because of damage to the distribution lines from Tennessee Valley Authority, which provides electricity for the rural power association.
State officials said Wednesday that Mississippi has received 60 generators from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and has used 35 so far, including one at a nursing center in Tippah County. Power was restored at a hospital in in Tippah County.
Crews work on power lines in Oxford on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. Credit: City of OxfordIn Lafayette County in north central Mississippi, the lights were slowly coming back on, but Oxford Mayor Robyn Tannehill said the city’s water system experienced problems.
Tannehill said Wednesday while 10 of the city’s 16 main power circuits were back online, news around the water system was less encouraging. Crews were working to identify a possible water leak in the south part of town to determine if additional steps are needed to stabilize the system.
Tannehill said water would remain turned off in certain areas to ensure enough pressure remains so Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi can have adequate access to water.
Tannehill also said National Guard troops were arriving in Oxford Wednesday and would begin setting up food and water distribution sites.
According to poweroutage.us the number of electrical outages in Mississippi had dropped from about 125,000 customers late Tuesday to about 105,000 by Wednesday evening. The peak was about 180,000 during the weekend. Mississippi on Wednesday still had the highest percentage of outages – about 7% – of all the states that were pummeled by the massive winter storm.
Kate Royals contributed to this report.
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