“Get out now.”
That was the message from Jackson Mayor Chokwe Lumumba to residents of low-lying areas in Jackson during a Saturday press conference at the Jackson Command Center.
Moments after Gov. Tate Reeves declared a state of emergency for Jackson and areas affected by recent flash flooding and thunderstorms as well as areas expected to be flooded by the Pearl River that is now projected to crest at 36 feet on Monday morning, some 24 hours earlier than originally estimated, Lumumba said, “If you are able to get out of your home, do it now.”
“The daylight hours we have left to get things done are almost over,” he said.
Lumumba said as many as 150 homes could be affected.
Reeves made his announcements in a Saturday morning press conference ahead of the expected flooding in the Jackson area as well as areas south of Jackson.
The new flood crest of 36 feet as early as Sunday night or Monday morning was updated Saturday morning after Jackson and central Mississippi have experienced heavy rainfall throughout the month of August and the reservoir is at capacity and is releasing more water into the lower Pearl River.
“We are 12 to 18 hours from the peak of the flow coming into the reservoir and 24 hours away from the flood reaching the spillway,” reservoir general John Sigman said. “(The reservoir depth) is already at a scary place and and it is getting scarier by the moment.”
Chad Entremont, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service, said the forecast for the next 48 hours is for scattered showers throughout the area that he does not expect to negatively impact the rise of water in the reservoir.
Lumumba touched on several issues for residents to focus on before peak flood waters prevent evacuation and other planning measures.
Jackson Transit will be available to help resident evacuate as long as streets are passable.
Entergy will strategically cut off power in flooded areas.
The Jackson evacuation shelter is open at 3000 St. Charles Avenue.
He and Reeves also talked at length about flood victims removing important documentation from their home or placing them high enough that flood waters cannot reach them. They also discussed taking pictures on everything in homes to be prepared in the event there needs to be an insurance claim made.
Lumumba said the New Jerusalem Church across from the precinct 4 of the Jackson Police Department was being made available to allow people to park vehicles away from dangerous flood waters.
Jackson City Council members are in charge of handing out bottled water in their districts and will communicate plans with their constituents.
Reeves also stressed a sense of urgency that accompanies the new weather information reported Saturday morning.
“I do want to highlight that this new prediction as of this morning is anticipated to crest in the Jackson area about 24 hours earlier than was anticipated,” Reeves said.
Dozens of streets in downtown Jackson and businesses around the Town Creek area of Jackson will flood, Reeves said.
“There will be streets and homes in northeast Jackson subdivisions near the river that may also flood,” Reeves said, adding the projected flooding will be similar to flooding that occurred in Jackson in 2020. The state’s response efforts are already underway, Reeves said in a press statement released after the press conference.
“MEMA has deployed 126,000 sandbags in preparation for this flooding. Mississippians can get more information on how to get sandbags by contacting their county or city. “Additionally, search and rescue teams are on standby and are prepared to respond at the request of local emergency managers.”
He advised people to monitor road conditions by visiting the Mississippi Department of Transportation website.
Mississippi Emergency Management Director Stephen McCraney said people should prepare now.
“Moving up 24 hours is significant,” McCraney said. “You’ve got a limited amount of daylight. Now you’ve got the rest of the day on Saturday and you’ve got the rest of the day on Sunday during daylight hours to try to prepare yourself for 2020 (levels). If you were in a flooded area in 2020 that should be your watermark that should be what you’re planning for.”
Officials also encouraged people to gather important insurance documents and to take photographs of valuable items for insurance records.
Read more: It is not too late to prepare for flooding. Here’s what to do.
How to Prepare Before a Flood
- Collect important documents, records and valuable items and to move them to a safe place.
- Gather important insurance documents
- Take photographs of valuable items for insurance records.
Sandbags available
- Sandbags are already available at 4225 Michael Avalon Street in Jackson until 5 p.m. today and will be available for pickup on Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m.
Shelters
- One shelter for those fleeing flood waters is open at the Jackson Police Academy at 3000 St. Charles Street. Another shelter will be opened by the city and announced as needed.
School buses
- Jackson Public Schools expects there to be some disruption of school buses in the coming days but won’t know until they know the exact places where there will be flooding. They urged parents and students to be aware of any updates as they come.
How to get help, information
- Jackson officials say if anyone has issues with mobility or transportation to leave their home because of potential flooding, they should call 311 as soon as possible. If residents can’t get through on 311, the city advises them to call the Jackson Police Department’s non-emergency number at 601-960-1234 or the Hinds County Emergency Operations Center at 601-968-6771. These numbers are available 24 hours.
What areas are in Jackson’s voluntary evacuation order?
- Any area near the Pearl River
- Upper Northeast Jackson
- Westbrook Road
- River Road
- S. West Street area
- Hightower community
- Silas Brown Street
Neighborhoods in Jackson most frequently affected by flooding:
- Belhaven
- Fondren
- Presidential Hills
- Midtown
- Hemingway Circle
- Casa Grande
- Choctaw Road off State Street
Major creeks in the city are also particularly prone to flooding:
- Hanging Moss
- Purple Creek
- Town Creek
- Eubanks Creek
Pearl River flooding at 34 feet
- City garage area off S. Jefferson Street
- Eastover area
- Foxboro Street
- Galilee Street
- Martin & Hinds streets
- Old Brandon Road
- President Street – south end
- Sidney Street
- South West Street – Union Planter s
- South West Street – Randy’s Upholstery parking lot
- Rosemary Road east of Terry Road
- Riverwood Drive – east of Harrow Drive
- Westbrook Road – east of Sedgewick Drive
- Yucca Drive
Pearl River flooding at 35 feet
- Annie Street
- Beasley Street
- City garage area off S. Jefferson Street
- Cypress Trail
- Deer Trail
- Eastover area
- Foxboro Street
- Galilee Street
- Greenwood Avenue at Hardy Creek
- Hudson Street – east end
- Martin & Hinds streets
- McNuitt Street
- Nichols Street
- Offutt Street
- Old Brandon Road
- President Street from South Silas Brown Street – south end
- River cove area
- River Glenn area
- North River Road
- Riverwood/Harrow drives
- Rollingwood at Yucca Drive – south end
- Rosemary Road east of Terry Road
- Sidney Street
- South West Street – Union Planter s
- South West Street – Randy’s Upholstery parking lot
- Westbrook Road – east of Sedgewick Drive
- Yucca Drive
Pearl River flooding at 36 feet
- Annie Street
- Beasley Street
- Beatty & Rankin streets at Silas Brown Street
- Canterbury Court
- Canton Club Circle at Sedgewick Drive
- Canton Club Circle – northeast end
- City garage area off S. Jefferson Street
- Cypress Trail
- Deer Trail
- Eastover area
- Foxboro Street
- Galilee Street
- Greenwood Avenue at Hardy Creek
- Harrow Drive
- Hinds Street
- Hudson Street – east end
- Julienne Street
- Linde Air Trailer Court
- Martin & Hinds streets
- McNuitt Street
- Meadow Oaks Park Drive
- Moncure Road
- Nichols Street
- Offutt Street
- Old Brandon Road
- President Street from South Silas Brown Street – south end
- Rankin Street
- River cove area
- River Glenn area
- North River Road
- Riverwood/Harrow drives
- Rollingwood at Yucca Drive – south end
- Rosemary Road east of Terry Road
- Santa Clara Circle
- Sedgewick Drive & Canton Club Circle
- Sidney Street
- South West Street – Union Planter s
- South West Street – Randy’s Upholstery parking lot
- Sproles Street
- Stokes Robinson Road
- Westbrook Road – east of Sedgewick Drive
- Yucca Drive
Pearl River flooding at 37 feet
- Annie Street
- Beasley Street
- Beatty & Rankin streets at Silas Brown Street
- Canterbury Court
- Canton Club Circle at Sedgewick Drive
- Canton Club Circle – northeast end
- City garage area off S. Jefferson Street
- Congress Street
- Cypress Trail
- Deer Trail
- Dunbarton Drive – west end
- Eastover area
- Foxboro Street
- Galilee Street
- Greenwood Avenue at Hardy Creek
- Harrow Drive
- Hinds Street
- Hudson Street – east end
- Julienne Street
- Linde Air Trailer Court
- Martin & Hinds streets
- McNuitt Street
- Meadow Oaks Park Drive
- Moncure Road
- Nichols Street
- Offutt Street
- Old Brandon Road
- President Street from South Silas Brown Street – south end
- Rankin Street
- River cove area
- River Glenn area
- North River Road
- Riverwood/Harrow drives
- Rollingwood South
- Rollingwood at Yucca Drive – south end
- Rosemary Road east of Terry Road
- Santa Clara Circle
- Sedgewick Drive & Canton Club Circle
- Sidney Street
- Silas Brown between Congress & West streets
- South West Street – Union Planter s
- South West Street – Randy’s Upholstery parking lot
- Sproles Street
- State Street
- Stokes Robinson Road
- Twin Lakes Circle off Greenbriar and Pebble lanes.
- Westbrook Road – east of Sedgewick Drive
- Village Park Mobile Homes
- Yucca Drive
