Mississippi Closed Again
The BBC reports on the latest closure:
The US Coast Guard has closed a five-mile stretch of the swollen Mississippi River after three barges sank.
The barges had been pulled by tug boats when they broke loose near Baton Rouge, Louisiana, officials said. A fourth barge broke loose but was captured.
No injuries or pollution was reported, officials said.
The river has been experiencing record flooding in recent weeks, but officials said they were unsure if that contributed to the accident on Friday.
The high water has made navigating the river, one of America’s most trafficked, hazardous.
The river is filled with debris and the fast-moving current has been complicated by powerful eddies and white caps.
It was reported in other sources that the barges were carrying corn.
If a loose barge slammed into a levee or floodwall and breached it, the situation could get nasty very quickly.
