Arthur is no longer a tropical storm, but its impact is still being felt in Mississippi, where a fatality linked to the weather event has been reported and road closures remain in effect.
Gov. Tate Reeves confirmed the death on Thursday afternoon. The tragedy occurred in Franklin County when an unidentified county road crew member was killed while assisting with storm cleanup operations.
In response to flooding and other storm-related events, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, Mississippi Department of Public Safety, and Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality continue to work with local emergency managers and deploy resources as requested.
Water rescues have taken place in Harrison County. Multiple roads remain closed in George, Hancock, Harrison, Pearl River, and Stone counties.
The dam at Anchor Lake in Pearl River County is currently functioning as designed but is being monitored just in case.
However, officials say there is very little storage capacity remaining, and additional rainfall could be on the horizon. If that happens, it could quickly overwhelm the spillways and compromise the structure. The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality’s dam safety director and local officials are keeping a close eye on the dam.
Homeowners within the area where a breach could cause damage are being notified by the Pearl River County Emergency Management administrator. Residents living near the East Hobolochitto Creek basin – particularly those east of Interstate 59 between East Boley Road and West Union Road – are encouraged to move to higher ground and remain alert for changing conditions. Approximately 30 homes are being evacuated as a precautionary measure.
“Please pray for Mississippi’s road crews, first responders, and emergency managers as they respond to these storms and floods,” Reeves wrote. “They are working in incredibly dangerous conditions to keep Mississippians safe. Our entire state is grateful for their efforts. Continue to avoid flooded roadways, monitor emergency alerts, and stay safe!”
Roughly 8,470 Mississippians were without power as of early Thursday evening. Outages are most prevalent in the coastal counties of Jackson (2,314) and Harrison (1,601).
