JACKSON, ma’am. – Jackson’s streets will start to dry on Monday After days of heavy rain caused the Chau Giang River to peak right under the heavy flood.
Experts predict The river will remain elevated at just over 35 feet – nearly a foot lower than what was predicted over the weekend – and then slowly ease back into Monday night.
National Weather Service meteorologist Marty Pope said officials cut discharges into the Pearl River from the Ross Barnett Reservoir to 10,000 cubic feet per second this morning. Pope said this will allow streets north of Jackson to begin draining, and most areas will be drained by Monday morning.
Jackson and central Mississippi experienced heavy rainfall throughout August. To prepare for the floodMississippi Governor Tate Reeves declared a state of emergency for Jackson and other surrounding areas, some Jackson Public Schools switched to virtual learning, and the Mississippi Department of Emergency Management deployed 126,000 sandbags. to make a water barrier.
City officials initially estimated between 100 and 150 homes could be affected by the floodwaters, as disaster relief groups arrived in Jackson to hand out gift cards and needed kits to families for the victims. cause of the flood. Mayor Jackson Chokwe Lumumba urged residents to evacuate and expressed concern that the damage in his city could match the devastation seen in February 2020, when floodwaters damaged more than 500 homes.
Governor Reeves declare another state of emergency Monday night declared Jackson’s ongoing water crisis an immediate health threat.
Officials said the city’s water treatment plant was operating below capacity, which could result in no water pressure for much of the city in the coming days.
Daniel Edney, state health official, said water testing conducted by the Mississippi Department of Health over the past month has determined the current city-provided water supply is unsafe.
“The water is not safe to drink or even brush your teeth,” says Edney, adding that any use of tap water for cooking or consumption “needs to be fully boiled.”
Steve McCraney, CEO of MEMA, said bottled water will initially be provided at the city’s fire stations, then expand to other locations.
The water is not potable, he said, not suitable for drinking but enough for flushing toilets and a number of other uses. McCraney added: “We have 38,000 bottles in stock and 18 more are in storage.
Up to 4,500 National Guardsmen will assist MEMA in water distribution efforts, McCraney confirmed.
Pope said no homes have been flooded so far, citing Hinds County Emergency Management officials.
“The water was just about to flood a few homes, but the Pearl River Valley Water District allowing the reservoir to rise within a foot and a half of its maximum actually helped keep the water from rising any higher,” Pope said. ,” said Pope.
Reservoir manager John Sigman said that even if the water recedes, it could take up to a week for things to return to normal.
Contributors: Ed Inman, Mississippi Clarion Ledger; Related press
Contact Breaking News Reporter N’dea Yancey-Bragg at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @NdeaYanceyBragg
