Memphis, Tennessee Bracing for Even More Devastating Flooding
May 6, 2011
Many residents in the Memphis, Tennessee area have been advised to evacuate. These instructions are the result of potentially devastating floods in the area. Mud Island is one area that presents a significantly high risk of severe flooding. Mobile homes around this area are already being flooded. This has lead to residents not only worrying about themselves, but also scrambling to ensure that their pets are safe. In some parts of this area, people are already going to shelters to seek refuge.
The high risk nature of this situation is due to estimates that the Mississippi River will soon be over forty feet. Estimates indicate that flooding will impact several thousand businesses and homes. The highest estimates have indicated a total of 5,000 properties. The structures that may be impacted by this flooding include a maximum-security prison in Tiptonville.
In hopes to protect their property, some people are using sandbags. Other Tennessee residents are moving furniture out of their home before the flooding is expected to hit. What’s interesting about this situation is that no significant rain is expected in the immediate future. However, the wheels of flooding have already been put in motion by the high amounts of rain over the last month.
Concerns about flooding are very high in West Memphis. Significant efforts are being made to reduce the impact of flooding. Currently, over 40,000 gallons of water are pumped out every minute. Additionally, over eighty rescues have been made around this area. However, these efforts simply can’t stop the impact of flooding. Not only is the flooding itself causing damage, but there have been reports of theft in some flooded homes.
Many people are wondering why this type of flooding is expected to hit the Memphis area with such force. Others are skeptical about the efforts that have been made to protect the area. Not long ago, a two mile hole was blasted in a levee on the river. The purpose of this blasting was to relieve some of the pressure being caused by the excess amount of water. While this action did have positive effects in other areas, it’s not going to benefit Tennessee or help with the impending flooding.
Reporters digging into the causes of this flooding have discovered a wide range of facts. One worth noting is that in some areas, residents are blaming the severity of the flooding on a lack of proper drainage.
