Officials previously predicted Mississippi’s Pearl River would reach 36 feet and crest Tuesday due to rain, but the river is now expected to crest between Sunday evening and Monday before slowly receding.
“Unfortunately, because we’ve seen these events as recently as 2020, we have a benchmark and know the damage that can occur,” he said.
“If we risk one individual’s life, that’s one individual too many,” Lumumba said. “Our residents have been inundated with persistent rain over the past few days.”
A flood stage in the city is considered “major” at 26 feet. The current flood advisory says dozens of additional streets in downtown Jackson will flood at 34 feet, with water close to entering homes in northeast Jackson at 35.8 feet.
“We expect the waters to start affecting neighborhoods as early as Sunday evening,” Lumumba said on Saturday, adding that up to 150 homes were expected to be affected by the floods.
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves declared a state of emergency on Saturday due to rising river waters and urged residents to remain calm. The state has already begun assessing water levels along the river with drones and has deployed more than 100,000 sandbags, according to the statement.
“The state of Mississippi is as prepared as possible for these floods,” Reeves said. “My administration, including the (Mississippi Emergency Management Agency), is monitoring this situation closely and is actively working to respond as quickly as possible to ongoing flood developments.”
Memories of the 2020 floods
It would not be the first time that the river reaches such a high level. Several neighborhoods in northeast and central Jackson flooded, and the Pearl River reached its third-highest crest on record at 36.7 feet during a major flood event in February 2020.
Authorities warn that communities affected by flooding in 2020 face a high probability of being hit again. “Residents in these affected areas should be ready to leave within 48 hours,” Lumumba said on Saturday.
The mayor warned residents that floodwaters could remain on the ground for several days and that residents should be prepared to be out of their homes for up to two weeks.
A flash flood warning remains in effect for parts of Mississippi, including in Jackson around the Pearl River, until further notice, the National Weather Service said.
In Ridgeland, Mississippi, north of Jackson, residents who had to evacuate during the 2020 floods found themselves packing again.
“We hope it doesn’t get bad. That’s what we’re praying for,” Ridgeland resident Krystal Ferguson told CNN affiliate WAPT. He said his family ended up staying in a hotel for five days during the 2020 flood.
The warm and humid weather persists
A slow-moving weather system drenched parts of the South this week, causing flash flooding in Mississippi that forced evacuations, washed out roads, derailed a train, washed into homes and prompted numerous rescues.
On Saturday morning, after heavy rains, the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District increased the discharge from Barnett Reservoir to 60,000 cubic feet per second, a move the district warned will put water on the streets of Jackson.
“Water will be on several streets in Jackson and could begin to approach some homes and businesses,” water district officials said in a news release Saturday morning. “The discharge is likely to increase again over the next 24 hours, which could cause water to enter homes.”
The threat of flooding will be limited to localized areas Sunday as slow-moving storms reform during the day, according to CNN meteorologist Derek Van Dam. Scattered showers could produce an additional 1-2 inches of rain Sunday night, mainly south of Interstate 20.
Warm and humid conditions will persist, with highs in the lower 80s.
Jackson’s mayor urged residents to stay away from flooded areas.
“We don’t need tourists, and we don’t need you putting yourselves or those who are helping with rescue efforts in harm’s way,” Lumumba said.
CNN’s Michelle Watson contributed to this report.