Southeast Missouri coping with widespread power outages

Updated 10 a.m.

Dianne Kelly has braved wintry weather when she lived in Chicago, Ill., but this week's ice, sleet and snow storm was a first for the dispatcher with the Mississippi County Sheriff's Department.

"I've never seen anything like this," said Kelly, who has lived in the county for 10 years. "We knew this storm was coming but people got caught with their pants down. When the forecasters say to prepare for a storm like this, people should have listened to them."

Kelly said half of Charleston has electricity but Wyatt, Anniston and East Prairie were without power. She said East Prairie does not have water and residents of Wyatt are advised not to flush their toilets because electricity to pump sewage in the town is not operational.

She said few gas stations and restaurants are open in the county.

Depending on damage to a particular neighborhood or community Kelly said it could be one to three weeks before power is restored.

"We're grateful to all those who have restored our power," Kelly said. "It's greatly appreciated by all here."

This morning about 5,000 AmerenUE customers in Mississippi County are without power.

The situation in Mississippi County mirrored other counties in the Bootheel of Southeast Missouri.

AmerenUE reported that 29,157 customers were without power in Southeast Missouri, a decrease of about 5,200 from Thursday morning. The power company reported that 5,033 of its 5,053 customers in New Madrid County did not have electricity and 7,642, or 99 percent, of customers in Pemiscot County were in the dark. Dunklin County still had 1,080, or 33 percent, of its customers in the dark, the same amount as the previous morning.

AmerenUE had restored power to roughly 2,700 more customers in Scott County, which stands at 5,464 without power, and 1,400 more customers in Stoddard County, with 5,972 without electricity this morning. Less than one percent, or 38 customers, were without power in Cape Girardeau County.

Glenn Cantrell, communication manager for SEMO Electric Cooperative, said that between 10,000 and 11,000 of its members were without power on Thursday evening but that number has now increased to about 12,000. He said it could be at least 10 to 14 days before power is restored.

"The further south you go the worse the conditions are," Cantrell said. "Our entire area is hit hard."

In addition to 100 employees from SEMO Electric Cooperative, six crews from three other cooperatives from the state are assisting in restoring power to its members.

"Be patient," he said. "I know it's frustrating and a lot of people are having flashbacks to last year. We're trying to restore power as quickly as possible."

Wayne McSpadden, operations manager for the Sikeston Board of Municipalities, said repairs in his community are running at a slow pace.

Numerous roads also remained closed or covered in snow and ice. 21 roads in Butler, Dunklin, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot and Stoddard counties remained closed because of storm-related damage.

Highway 114 in Stoddard County

Highway 153 in Dunklin, New Madrid and Stoddard counties

Highway 162 in Dunklin, New Madrid and Stoddard counties

Highway 164 in Dunklin County

Highway 25 in Dunklin County

Highway 51 in Stoddard and Butler counties

Highway 53 in Butler County

Route A in Pemiscot County

Route AB in Mississippi County

Route B in Dunklin and New Madrid counties

Route BB in Mississippi County

Route D in Stoddard County

Route E in Pemiscot and Dunklin counties

Route EE in Dunklin County

Route F in Pemiscot County

Route HH in Mississippi County

Route N in Mississippi and Butler counties

Route O in Mississippi and Dunklin counties

Route Z in Pemiscot County

US 160 in Butler County

US 62 in New Madrid County

Look for more on this developing story later in the day at semissourian.com.