UPDATE: Power Restored to Thousands of Pine Belt Customers
Power Flicks Back On
Thousands of Pine Belt residents are now breathing a sigh of relief as power resumes, less than 24 hours after Hurricane Francine ripped through the southern part of Mississippi. The hurricane, which made landfall Wednesday night, had cut off power to over 17,000 customers around the state.
The seven power companies serving the Pine Belt sprung into action to restore services, minimizing the impact on residents. Their quick response means that power has now been restored to the majority of impacted customers.
Outage Overview
Here is the breakdown of the situation at 5:05 p.m. on Thursday. Mississippi Power had 67 outages while Southern Pine reported 680. Pearl River Valley had 13 customers without power and Dixie EPA reported 14. Singing River had the least with only 4 outages, while East MS EPA had 506. Entergy reported 32 outages.
Within the Pine Belt, Covington, Jasper, Jones, and Smith counties reported the highest number of remaining outages. The remaining numbers in these counties were, Covington: 8, Jasper: 336, Jones: 3, Smith: 196.
Other counties reporting outages included Forrest, Greene, Jefferson Davis, Lamar, Marion, Wayne, with a total of 20 outages combined.
Statewide Impact
Across the state, it has been reported that 7,081 people are still without power. Despite the magnitude of the initial outages, the restoration process has been expedient and efficient, ensuring that most residents have their power back as soon as possible.
Post-Hurricane Recovery
The return of power signals a reassuring step in the recovery journey from the hurricane damage for the Pine Belt community. With electricity back, residents can commence the clean-up processes, and life can get back on track.
As the dust settles and power is restored, the steadfast spirit of the Pine Belt community continues to shine forth. Hurricane Francine may have brought the darkness, but the swift actions by the power companies and the resilient spirit of the Pine Belt residents are bright lights in the aftermath.
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Author: STAFF HERE MYRTLE BEACH
The HERE Myrtle Beach Staff Writers are a collaborative team of journalists, editors, and local contributors passionate about delivering accurate, timely information to the Myrtle Beach community. As part of the HEREcity.com Network, which powers over 100 U.S. city sites including HEREcolumbia.com, our staff draws on collective experience in South Carolina journalism to cover everything from business sales and real estate developments to dining deals and community initiatives. Our Expertise and Background Local Roots in Myrtle Beach Our team includes lifelong Myrtle Beach residents and SC natives with deep knowledge of the area’s history, economy, and culture. We’ve covered key events like the recent developments along the Grand Strand, Myrtle Beach’s tourism and hospitality industry, and growth in local education sectors (e.g., Coastal Carolina University programs). Collective Experience With over 50 combined years in journalism, our staff has backgrounds in print, digital media, and community reporting. We prioritize fact-based stories, drawing from sources like the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, city government records, and on-the-ground interviews. Commitment to Quality Every article is a group effort, involving research, editing, and verification to ensure reliability. We adhere to journalistic standards, citing credible sources and updating content as new details emerge.
