A second ice storm has slammed into Missouri, this time taking direct aim at northwest Missouri. One official in Maryville states simply, "It’s a mess".
The total number of Missourians without electricity now is estimated at 170,000. Tens of thousands of households in central and northeast Missouri still struggle without power. More than 66,000 northwest Missouri residents now have no power.
Aquila of Kansas City reports that 49,000 households in St. Joseph don’t have power as ice has either brought power lines down by itself or has weighed down tree limbs, which has snapped and fallen on power lines. A few substations have been knocked out. Maryville and Mound City have been hard hit as well. Some reports indicate that the entire city of Savannah, north of St. Joseph, is without power. Kansas City has an estimated 27,000 households without electricity.
Those numbers only add to Missouri residents coping without electricity. There are an estimated 44,000 households without power in Joplin. Jefferson City has about 27,000 households still without power from the Sunday ice storm. An estimated 32,000 customers with rural electric cooperatives do not have power.
Shelters have been opened at many of the communities to allow residents without electricity to warm up. Some shelters are providing food and overnight shelter. Others are only meant to provide a place to get some warmth during the daytime.
The weather forecast provides a bit of hope. Temperatures are suppose to rise tomorrow and the precipitation should dwindle and give way to sunshine at the end of the week.
