Neosha, Mo., and other parts of Newton County are facing power and water issues after a winter storm covered both Newton and McDonald counties with ice. According to The Neosha Daily News, the water system in Newtonia and Stark City are out, affecting about 200 customers. Gary Roark, Newton County emergency management director, reported that crews are working to get generators to get power back to the water system.
In addition, according to Siskiyou Daily News, water towers have run dry in Barry County, Mo. Numerous other cities have also been affected by the winter storms. The cold temperatures even froze water pipes in the Phoenix, a place that doesn’t usually have to worry about snow.
In Oklahoma, water treatment plants and shelters were the first to receive the generators so public water systems could continue to operate and shelters could provide a safe place for residents. An additional 100 generators and a large supply of bottled water was delivered by FEMA to a staging area in McAlester today. The generators will be delivered to communities throughout Oklahoma that serve the public, such as public water services, shelters, police and fire departments and organizations supporting shelters. President Bush has officially declared Oklahoma a federal disaster area due to the storms.
At this time, 42 deaths have been reported as a result of the storms.
Source: Siskiyou Daily News, The Neosha Daily News
