Freezing rain wreaks havoc in Michigan and Wisconsin

• Freezing rain has caused major disruptions in Michigan and Wisconsin, knocking down power lines and leaving thousands of residents without electricity.
• Meteorologists warn that a dangerous weather front is moving towards Tennessee, where wind gusts exceeding 110 km/h and the possibility of tornadoes are expected.
• Local authorities in Michigan and Wisconsin have converted churches, schools, and fire stations into temporary assistance centres for residents.

The freezing rain that hit Michigan and Wisconsin has caused major disruptions in the power supply. Thousands of residents in the Great Lakes region have been left without electricity. Power lines were torn down, and the weight of the ice toppled trees.

Meteorologists are warning that the dangerous weather front is moving towards Tennessee. In this region, wind gusts exceeding 110 km/h and the possibility of tornadoes and hailstorms with hailstones up to 5 cm in diameter are expected. The National Weather Service (NWS) is monitoring the situation to ensure residents' safety.

In response to the energy crisis, local authorities in Michigan and Wisconsin have converted churches, schools, and fire stations into temporary assistance centres. Ryan Brege, the managing director of Alpena County in Michigan, emphasised that despite the calendar indicating spring, winter still makes its presence felt. Alpena Power Company reported that almost all its more than 16,000 customers remain powerless.

Apart from issues related to freezing rain, authorities in South Carolina are battling wildfires in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The fire has consumed over 4,000 hectares in the Table Rock and Persimmon Ridge areas, forcing the evacuation of some residents of Greenville County.