Over 300,000 people without power amid massive winter storm
Source: AP
BY TORI B. POWELL
More than 304,000 people were without power Thursday evening as a massive winter storm lashes the central U.S. with heavy snow, ice and freezing cold rain, according to the national database PowerOutage.us. The weather also accounted for more than 5,000 flight cancellations and 2,400 delays on Thursday, FlightAware reports.
In parts of Tennessee, significant icefall of up to half an inch coupled with sizable sleet and snow accumulation has damaged trees and downed power lines, according to the National Weather Service and the City of Memphis. More than 100,000 residents in Memphis alone reported outages by Thursday afternoon. The state is seeing the most outages in the country, with over 146,000 residents in the dark, PowerOutage.us reported.
The storm also means roads in the state are slick. A crash involving 16 vehicles in Memphis sent six people to the hospital, two of whom had critical injuries, according to the Memphis Fire Department. Residents are advised to avoid the Austin Peay Highway area and to "expect significant delays."
With more heavy mixed precipitation forecast through the night, the NWS said Memphis residents can expect even more falling tree branches and power outages. City officials said Thursday that they are calling in as many outside crews as possible to help with the conditions, according to CBS affiliate WREG.
Ice coats trees and the road as an SUV drives in Richardson, Texas, Thursday, February 3, 2022.
LM OTERO / AP
Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/power-outages-us-massive-winter-storm/
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