Jackson mayor urges residents to 'get out now' as Mississippi braces for river flooding after record rainfall
The mayor of Jackson, Mississippi, is urging locals to “get out now” after the state was battered with record rainfall and rivers swelled to devastating levels.
The mayor of Jackson, Mississippi, is urging locals to “get out now” after the state was battered with record rainfall and the Pearl River swelled to devastating levels.
“If you are capable of getting out now, get out now," Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said in a news conference Saturday morning.
He said it’s possible for 100 to 150 homes to be affected in floods from the Pearl River and warned locals to head for higher ground or go to city shelters.
"Get out as soon as possible to prevent any incident or challenge with people trying to leave the area all at once or any concern over whether the river crests sooner than then you may anticipate or our projection,” he added.
Police officers observe the water release from the Ross Barnett Reservoir Spillway onto the Pearl River in Rankin County, Miss., on Sunday. Rogelio V. Solis / APMississippi Gov. Tate Reeves declared a state of emergency Saturday in anticipation of the Pearl River flooding. It was forecast to crest at 35.5 feet Monday morning, 7 feet above flood stage, the National Weather Service office in Jackson said.
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