Debris removal begins in storm-ravaged counties - MSNewsNow.com - Jackson, MS

Debris removal begins in storm-ravaged counties

By Bert Case - bio | email

YAZOO COUNTY, MS (WLBT) - A mountain of debris was left after an EF-4 tornado slammed into the heart of Mississippi April 24th, and, now, it's finally being hauled away.

Thursday was the first full day of work in the counties of Yazoo and Choctaw.  The        clean-up is a huge job that is expected to take more than a month.

A private contractor, Southern Contracting Services, out of Kosciusko has the $1.8 million dollar award.  All counties hit by the tornado would be eligible for clean-up, but they have to come up with 25 per cent of the cost, and so far, only Yazoo and Choctaw have done that.

Kavanaugh Breazeale, spokesperson for the Corps of Engineers, explained what will happen to the debris at a landfill north and west of Yazoo City.

"Well sir, behind us is where they are going to bring all of the debris, all of the wooded debris, and incinerate it.  I think they are going to use a type fan mechanism, to keep the smoke down, and to keep the fire hot to burn it quickly.  It is one contractor. Now, he has the ability to use subcontractors, but it is one individual small business that is heading that up," said Breazeale.

While we were there we spotted a brand new volunteer group of Idahoans helping with the clean-up.  Their spokesperson was Alexa Allen of Moscow, Idaho.

"They have set up kinda an old boy scout camp for us, and they have got bunks they have set up for us," said Allen.

We asked how many others came to volunteer.  "There's nine of us from the University of Idaho," said Allen.

The Army Corps of Engineers is overseeing this massive operation which will last as long as necessary.

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