Floodwater Pours Over Mississippi River Banks
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WJZ)—Overwhelmed by Mother Nature. People living along the Mississippi River are trying to stay dry as floodwater pours over the banks.
Adam May has more.
Neighborhoods and cars are submerged in murky floodwaters as the Mississippi River overflows. In Memphis, Tenn., Bob Nations—executive director of Shelby County Office of Preparedness --says rivers flowing into the mighty Mississippi are beginning to flood, too.
"Our tributaries are beginning to back up west to east, the Mississippi is rising as has been forecasted, and it does look like tentacles that are wrapping its arms around Shelby County," Nations said.
Flooding has forced evacuations in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky. Meanwhile, people in Arkansas and Tennessee are stacking sandbags in an effort to keep floodwaters at bay.
"It's just mind-boggling to see it," said one witness.
North of Memphis, families who lost homes are living in campers.
"It's bad, bad for everybody. Some of us lost it all," said Keith Ables, flood victim.
Forecasts predict the Mississippi River will crest Wednesday evening at 48 feet in Memphis-- just short of the all-time record set in 1937.
They are catching a slight break. There's no rain in the forecast until Thursday.
