Mississippi will deploy its National Guard to assist with recovery efforts as the state continues to deal with the fallout from severe winter storms, state leaders announced Monday.
During an afternoon press conference, Gov. Tate Reeves said that he signed an executive order authorizing the deployment of up to 500 National Guard members, adding that the number could grow based on need. The action comes as around 150,000 Mississippians remain without power with temperatures still below freezing, many of them in North Mississippi and the Delta.
“We will get through this, but we’re not going to get through it today, and we’re not going to get through it tomorrow,” Reeves said Monday, noting that ice accumulation and frigid temperatures have hampered efforts to clear roads and restore power to hard-hit areas. “This is going to take time.”
Reeves said Monday that 48 Mississippi counties have reported damage from the storms, with at least 37 continuing to experience ice. The state has received 30 generators from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to assist with large-scale power outages and expects to have as many as 60 by Tuesday.
A total of 61 warming shelters are now open to the public across 30 counties, Reeves said Monday. A full list of shelter locations is available on the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency website. People can also consult the MEMA website for additional winter weather resources and find a list of school district closures on the Mississippi Department of Education site.