Because Things Aren’t Bad Enough
CNN has a round-up on the Big Muddy: Mississippi governor urges caution as river crests
Vicksburg, Mississippi (CNN) — Storms were forecast Saturday for areas already suffering from the swollen Mississippi River, as Mississippi’s governor urged caution.
The rain comes as the Mississippi River was cresting in Natchez, Mississippi. The water was cresting at 61.8 feet, or 13.8 feet above flood stage there, according to the National Weather Service.
…Severe storms are likely Saturday and Sunday in the Mississippi River, Ohio River and Tennessee River valleys.
Up to 3 inches of rain per hour are possible, with heavier storms on Sunday. The rain could lead to secondary crests and higher crests along the Mississippi from Memphis, Tennessee, southward, CNN meteorologist Sean Morris said.
…A slide was detected on the mainline Mississippi levee at Lake Albemarle, the Corps of Engineers said Thursday. That occurs when the integrity of a levee is undermined because dirt and sand are being eroded, spokeswoman Eileen Williamson said.
Crews are working around the clock to help fill the gaps.
If the levee fails, thousands of homes and more than one million acres would be flooded, according to Peter Nimrod, the Mississippi Levee Board’s chief engineer.
The flooding in the Atchafalaya Basin doesn’t seem to be as bad as predicted. It is possible that the land is soaking up a lot of water after the winter drought. The problems could come later as the ground gets saturated while the high water continues to come in from the Mississippi.
