MS Weather: Floods, deaths, outages following Wednesday severe weather. See what happened

The severe storms that swept across the state of Mississippi on Wednesday brought floods, deaths and widespread outages that authorities say they are working to assess and resolve.

Two weather-related deaths in Mississippi

A woman from Scott County and another woman from Leflore County lost their lives during Wednesday's storms.

Scott County coroner Hunter Wolf told the Clarion Ledger 64-year-old Shirley Wilson died Wednesday after the power went out north of Harperville.

Wolf said Wilson had a list of health complications and was on oxygen, which was disconnected when Wilson lost power. According to Wolf, there was no backup that provided access to oxygen. Wolf said authorities tried to get Wilson to a hospital, but the roads were blocked by storm debris. Authorities tried several different routes without success, Wolf said.

Leflore County Deputy Coroner Will Gnemi identified 43-year-old Shanika Newton as the deceased person in Leflore County.

Gnemi told the Clarion Ledger that Newton was traveling south on U.S. 49 around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, when she encountered water coming over the road. Gnemi said Newton's vehicle hydroplaned and landed in a flooded ditch where she drowned.

The two deaths were reported Wednesday by the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency .

Entergy Mississippi says 22,000 customers without power at peak

Severe thunderstorms left a trail of extensive damage and widespread power outages across Entergy Mississippi’s service area.

Entergy Mississippi said in a press release that there were as of 2 p.m. Thursday, there were approximately 22,000 customers without power. The company also reported the peak outage count, the highest number of customers out at any time during the storm, was 33,600 customers.

"A workforce of damage assessors, vegetation crews, line workers, and support personnel are diligently working to restore power as quickly and safely as possible. Additional workers have been requested with some of those resources en route throughout the evening," the news release states.

At 9 p.m., nearly 45% of damage assessment was completed with damages to 107 poles, 420 spans ofdowned wire, 19 transformers and 46 cross arms.

"We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience as our crews safely work torestore customers’ power," the press release statement reads.

If you are without power, check for damage to the electrical equipment attached to your home or business. If your power is out and your electric equipment appears undamaged, call 1-800-968-8243.

River basin expected to raise Arkabutla Lake Levels Above

A dam on the border of DeSoto and Tate Counties in Mississippi could potentially rise above levels Thursday as spring rains continues.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), which operates the Arkabutla Lake Dam in North Mississippi, said lake levels at the Arkabutla Dam are expected to rise well above 215 feet and remain high for nearly three weeks.

The company stated in a Thursday press release that a WATCH status at the dam is in effect. In addition, a 24-hour monitoring of the dam will begin once levels hit the 215-foot mark.

According to officials, the potential breach is associated with observed signs of distress discovered in May 2023. The physical condition of the dam is "unchanged," and a dam breach is "NOT imminent," officials said.

"The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Vicksburg District is coordinating with the National Weather Service, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, and local emergency management agencies to maximize public awareness in affected areas and to prepare for the possible flooding," officials stated.

A contract to install structural improvements to the dam has been awarded and construction is scheduled to begin in May 2024.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: MS Weather: Floods, deaths, outages following Wednesday severe weather. See what happened