Road worker killed in Mississippi while assisting in storm cleanup efforts
A road cleanup crew member was killed in Mississippi during storm recovery efforts after severe weather and dangerous flooding triggered by the remnants of Tropical Storm Arthur swept across the region.
FRANKLIN COUNTY, Mississippi - A road cleanup crew member was killed in Mississippi during storm recovery efforts after severe weather and dangerous flooding triggered by the remnants of former Tropical Storm Arthur swept across the region.
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves announced the incident occurred in Franklin County, where the employee was killed while assisting with storm cleanup operations.
"Please pray for Mississippi’s road crews, first responders and emergency managers as they respond to these storms and floods. They are working in incredibly dangerous conditions to keep Mississippians safe. Our entire state is grateful for their efforts," Gov. Reeves said.
The death comes as Mississippi and neighboring states along the Gulf Coast contend with widespread flooding fueled by tropical moisture, along with an ongoing severe weather threat.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, while there have been no local storm reports in Franklin County, rain rates have reached up to 5 inches per hour in parts of the county.
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Elsewhere across Mississippi, communities are facing significant flood dangers and other weather-related threats.
Gov. Tate Reeves said road closures have been reported in George, Hancock, Harrison, Pearl River and Stone counties, while water rescues have been carried out in Harrison County.
One of the most serious concerns involved the dam at Anchor Lake in Pearl River County, which prompted the issuance of a Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) Flash Flood Emergency as officials warned it was nearing potential failure.
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According to the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, right now, the system is functioning as intended, with water moving through both the primary and emergency spillways.
But there's very little room left to absorb additional runoff, and more rain is in the forecast, which could devastate the dam and cause it to fail.
Nearby areas have been encouraged to evacuate to higher ground, and approximately 30 homes have been evacuated as a precautionary measure.
With rounds of moisture swamping the Southeast Thursday triggering numerous Flash Flood Emergencies, the threat isn't over just yet.
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A Level 3 out of 4 flash flood threat has been issued for Friday across the Southeast, where widespread and locally catastrophic flooding is possible again.
The high risk of flooding on Thursday includes coastal and inland locations such as Hattiesburg, Slidell, Biloxi and Mobile and was expanded in coverage to include 2.4 million Americans.
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