Memphis is used to floods and the threat of floods, but today’s battle against Mother Nature is more severe than usual. As the New York Daily News reports, Memphis was prepared for record flooding on Monday because the Mississippi River was to rise 14 feet above the flood stage.
Unfortunately, the river is rising faster than predicted. The New York Daily News quotes Col. Vernie Reichling from the Army Corps of Engineers, who said, “This water that we’re seeing coming by is moving 2 million cubic feet per second….To use an analogy, in one second that water would fill up a football field 44 feet deep.”
A.C. Wharton, Mayor of Memphis, informed CBS’ The Early Show that despite the fact that the river is rising faster, “fortunately, we’re ready for it.”
According to CNN, Wharton also said that the Mississippi has already taken over the lower parts of the city’s Beale Street. In terms of evacuations, around 400 people have left their at-risk homes, and there are still about 1,300 in low-lying areas.
Wharton said, “It’s sort of tortuous; we’ve been waiting so long. It’s hard keeping people’s attention. It’s warning fatigue, if you will … But we’re ready for it.”
Bob Nations, the director of preparedness in Shelby County, Tennessee, where Memphis is located, said to CNN, “It’s a very powerful river. It looks like it’s running very slowly, but it has a very strong current…. We still don’t know (exactly what) the river might do.”
CNN quoted a Memphis resident, Nicholas Pegues, as saying, ““It’s affecting daily life tremendously…. It is pretty severe downtown.... I know a lot of... people have lost their homes.”
The City of Memphis’ website has updates about flood preparation, including information about sandbags and floodgates. Similarly, Shelby County’s website has news updates on emergency procedures.
Unfortunately, the river is rising faster than predicted. The New York Daily News quotes Col. Vernie Reichling from the Army Corps of Engineers, who said, “This water that we’re seeing coming by is moving 2 million cubic feet per second….To use an analogy, in one second that water would fill up a football field 44 feet deep.”
A.C. Wharton, Mayor of Memphis, informed CBS’ The Early Show that despite the fact that the river is rising faster, “fortunately, we’re ready for it.”
According to CNN, Wharton also said that the Mississippi has already taken over the lower parts of the city’s Beale Street. In terms of evacuations, around 400 people have left their at-risk homes, and there are still about 1,300 in low-lying areas.
Wharton said, “It’s sort of tortuous; we’ve been waiting so long. It’s hard keeping people’s attention. It’s warning fatigue, if you will … But we’re ready for it.”
Bob Nations, the director of preparedness in Shelby County, Tennessee, where Memphis is located, said to CNN, “It’s a very powerful river. It looks like it’s running very slowly, but it has a very strong current…. We still don’t know (exactly what) the river might do.”
CNN quoted a Memphis resident, Nicholas Pegues, as saying, ““It’s affecting daily life tremendously…. It is pretty severe downtown.... I know a lot of... people have lost their homes.”
The City of Memphis’ website has updates about flood preparation, including information about sandbags and floodgates. Similarly, Shelby County’s website has news updates on emergency procedures.
