Governor declares state of emergency for Pearl River flood

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Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves declared a state of emergency this morning because of the Pearl River flooding in the Jackson metropolitan area.

The river is expected to crest at 38 feet on Sunday, making it the worst flooding since 1983. The worst recorded flood in the area occurred Easter weekend in 1979 when the river crested at 43.3 feet.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency is encouraging Jackson area residents to stay alert for emergency situations, and Jackson’s mayor has made evacuation mandatory for some residents in the northeast part of the city. Parts of Ridgeland and Pearl are also expected to flood, as well as Byram, Flowood and north Richland.

MEMA reminds residents not to drive through standing water. Turn around; don’t drown.

For more information, including road closings, go to the MEMA website.

This is a historic, unprecedented flood. With projections showing the potential of this being the 3rd worst flood in our state’s history, I‘ve declared a state of emergency to deploy the necessary resources to take care of all Mississippians impacted. 1/3 pic.twitter.com/r3rGEKZPle

— Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) February 15, 2020