Residents Capture Winter Storm Fern’s Impact Across Yalobusha County
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YALOBUSHA COUNTY — What began as a simple request for help documenting Winter Storm Fern turned into a countywide effort that preserved images of dozens of damaged roadways for the historical record.
Yalobusha County Board of Supervisors Board President Cayce Washington asked residents to submit photos and videos showing storm-related damage to county roads.
“Like any storm of this magnitude, we picked up the equipment and went straight to work,” Washington said at the time. “That’s why we’re asking the public to help us document what happened.”
County road crews were focused on clearing debris and reopening blocked routes as quickly as possible. That left little opportunity to photograph conditions before cleanup began.
The public responded.
More than 75 individuals posted photographs of blocked county roads and debris on the original Facebook posts made by the North Mississippi Herald and the Coffeeville Courier. Another 20-plus people submitted landscape photographs showing the broader impact of the storm. In addition, 18 residents posted videos documenting road damage across the county.
Washington had announced that a private donor pledged prize money to encourage participation:
• $50 each to the top five contributors who submitted the largest number of photos from confirmed, unique locations
• $100 each to the top three video or drone submissions documenting damage across the most county roads
Multiple images of the same damage counted as one location. To qualify as unique, photos had to show different locations on a single road or damage across multiple county roads.
The five winners for most unique photo submissions are:
• Leighann Richardson
• Angel Lundeby
• Pam Crocker
• Jesi Marsh
• Alexie Hartman
Each submitted four or more unique images documenting storm damage.
The three winners for video submissions are:
• Miranda Phillips
• Keisha Mack
• Sarah Stewart
Washington said the submissions will help the county preserve a clear record of Winter Storm Fern’s impact for future reference.
Residents who were selected as winners may claim their prize money at the North Mississippi Herald office.
