The Other Disaster

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The tornadoes have crowded the major flooding off this blog, so lets catch up. In green are the various flood warnings out:

With rivers still rising, we would have enough problems. Unfortunately, additional heavy rains are on the way in these areas. This is a forecast of 7.3 inches of additional rain in the areas where flooding is already occurring. This forecast is valid from 7pm this evening until 7pm Tuesday.
Click to enlarge maps.
The situation in the Lower Mississippi Valley drainage area is going to get worse before it gets better.

The Wall Street Journal has a superb article about flooding in this region today. If the link does not work because you do not have a subscription just Google "battling nature on the river" and you can legitimately read the article. The author of the article, John Barry, wrote a book about the 1937 flood that explains how that event not just transformed the region but changed America. I recommend it.

UPDATE, 4PM Saturday
THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE IS TRANSMITTED AT THE
REQUEST OF THE MEMPHIS SHELBY COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY


FLOOD WARNING     


ALL SHELBY RESIDENTS SHOULD TAKE PRECAUTIONS
NOW...ESPECIALLY IF YOU LIVE WITHIN THE 100 YEAR FLOOD PLAIN OF RIVERS AND STREAMS...TO
BE PREPARED TO EVACUATE HOMES AND BUSINESSES IF FLOODING OCCURS.


NEAR RECORD FLOODING IS FORECAST ALONG THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER AS IT BORDERS SHELBY COUNTY.

Comments

  1. AnonymousMay 1, 2011 at 10:21 AM

    People really *don't* realize how much of an influence the 1927 Great Mississippi Flood did have. Pray we never have another like it. Imagine Katrina style devastation x20 or so.

    When the Levee Breaks: http://tinyurl.com/3bzy3d9 - the original tune that Led Zeppelin remade into a 70's hit.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mike SmithMay 1, 2011 at 2:47 PM

    So right you are! 1927's flood caused MAJOR changes in our nation.

    ReplyDelete

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