Governor Phil Bryant has submitted a federal declaration request to President Donald Trump for recent storms and flooding in Mississippi.
The declaration would include coverage for the City of Columbus’ recent deadly tornado outbreak along with flooding in the Mississippi Delta and other affected areas. Bryant added that some 1,000 homes have been affected by the severe weather and flooding.
RELATED: MEMA offers housing assistance for flood victims
“This has become a situation now where we are looking at over 500,000 acres currently underwater in the Mississippi Delta, not only the destruction of property that is ongoing there because of the flooding but an agriculture disaster that is in the making.,” said Bryant. “If the rains continue and they will at some point, snow will begin to melt, so we have not yet seen the worst of the rising and the flooding of the rivers that will occur along the Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers.”
Bryant added that pumps recommended by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers were not installed into the Yazoo backwater to relieve the flooding conditions in that area. While the EPA was able to veto the installation of those pumps in 2008 they did not do so.
“I have met with Mary Walker, the EPA regional Director and we will formally ask the EPA to review that veto of those pumps, to listen to the Corps of Engineers to meet with them and begin that discussion again on the installation of the pumps that would have been able to remove several feet of water from the backwaters of the Yazoo and I think relieve a great deal of the damage to the property and homes that are in that area,” said Bryant.
MEMA is also offering assistance for victims who are unable to live in their homes due to the severe storms and widespread flooding. The Temporary Housing Assistance Program is providing rental reimbursement for eligible residents who were displaced for at least 72 hours from their homes due to storm impacts. Residents can complete an application beginning starting March 22nd at one of the five designated Temporary Housing program centers in Grenada, Lee, Lowndes, Warren, and Yazoo Counties.
Depending on the damage to a home, the program may provide up to three months of rental reimbursement.
