Governor Barbour urges residents to evacuate - MSNewsNow.com - Jackson, MS

Governor Barbour urges residents to evacuate

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WARREN COUNTY, MS (Mississippi News Now) -

"Well you feel very sorry for people that can do nothing about it except watch."

More and more homes along the Mississippi River are beginning to look like this and with a week to go before a crest, more homes, property and roadways will be slowly swallowed by water.

Barbour says, "The river is going to continue to rise about three more feet."

Governor Haley Barbour had a view from the sky Friday morning and says backwater flooding is presenting the biggest problem and expects the south Delta region to be hit hardest. Barbour says, In the backwater areas there's a tremendous amount of water, but not as much as there's going to be."

Barbour says so far, the Mississippi River levees appear to be holding up and while they may be doing their job it's important for folks not to let their guard down with it comes to evacuations. Backwater levees are expected to be flooded over leaving many folks wondering if they'll stay dry.

Barbour says, "If in doubt, people should get out. We want people to evacuate rather than have to be rescued."

The National Guard is already being put in place and will remain in place until those flood water recedes.

Guardsmen will be fully activated this weekend Freeman says, "Search and rescue will be one of the missions, patrol presence, security checkpoints."

Search and rescue is a measure state leaders hope will not be drastically needed given the advanced amount of time folks knew about the flood.

Barbour says,"This is a tragedy and disaster where no body should die. There should not be one fatality because of this flood."

The water is expected to stick around up to a month in some areas leaving recovery efforts at bay in battle against mother nature.

Copyright 2011 WLBT. All rights reserved.

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