Mississippi Issues State of Emergency Ahead of Pearl River Flooding

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves issued a State of Emergency on Saturday, August 27, as the rising Pearl River neared flood stage close to Jackson.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (EMA) said the river was expected to crest on Monday.

Aerial footage taken on Friday and released by the EMA on Saturday shows conditions at a spillway at the northeast edge of Jackson where the Ross R Barnett Reservoir spills into the Pearl River.

On Saturday, the City of Jackson warned people in at-risk neighborhoods to evacuate, saying more than 100 homes could be affected.

In Ridgeland, north of Jackson, rising waters prompted mandatory evacuations on Saturday afternoon.

The state had already experienced record rainfall, with some areas receiving 14 inches of rain in a 72-hour period beginning August 22, the EMA said. Credit: Mississippi EMA via Storyful

Video transcript

[NO AUDIO]