The South Mississippi Delta is both flooding and preparing for more rainfall from Barry. MPB’s Alexandra Watts reports on what precautions flooded areas are taking.
Rain from tropical depression Barry continues through the South Mississippi Delta. In some areas, the rain poses even more problems to communities that have been flooding for months.
Vicksburg’s mayor George Flaggs Jr. said his town is working to deal with water already flooding the region.
“We’re expecting more rain and because there is more rain, we are continuing to prepare for the flooded areas by trying to get into those areas and quickly drain some of the areas that we can."
Mayor Flaggs said more water can saturate the ground meaning downed power lines and fallen trees. And because the flooded Delta has nowhere to drain, the water adds up.
In Fitler, farmer Robbie Braxton agrees the rain makes the flooding worse. Only 60 of his 2600 acres are not underwater, and he said that even when Barry rain ends, those in the South Delta will still have devastation.
“A flash flood comes through a house and in 12 hours, that water is gone," Braxton said. "They had to rip out 2 feet of wall and everything and dry everything out and rebuild. When you have a house sitting in three feet of water for literally months — there is no fixing that house.”
Rain is expected to continue through Tuesday.
