CLARKSDALE, Miss. — The skies will be clear Thursday night, but the fear of flooding is far from gone.
Those across the Mid-South who live near rivers and tributaries are on edge as water is expected to rise over the next few days after we saw several inches of rainfall.
One of the spots is in Coahoma County. In 2016, many people in the Pearson subdivision lost nearly everything from the floods.
Now, that weighs on their minds.
Stacked sandbags block the swollen Sunflower River from reaching the subdivision but water still trickles through, reminding those who live here of what they went through in 2016.
WREG was there as residents used boats to salvage their belongings. Hal Hubbard was one of those people.
“Everybody is scared, because you don’t know what’s going to happen. All people can tell us is just be prepared,” he said.
Hubbard showed us the notice from Clarksdale Police warning his neighborhood to be on standby in case the water gets higher.
“Right now, this is the calm before the storm. The sun is going to come out today. It’s going to be pretty today,” he said. “It’s going to be pretty tomorrow, but the rise is definitely on the way.”
Clarksdale residents know the water is coming, but they have no idea how high it will get.
County and city crews spent the day patrolling, and Ken Murphy, City Commissioner for the Pearson subdivision, made his rounds.
“The main thing we learned is not to wait to become more proactive,” Murphy said.
Hubbard isn’t taking any chances.
“Like if the rain comes in my house tonight, and I find flood, I don’t have anywhere to go,” he said.
He took us inside his home that badly damaged two years ago he now has new flooring and paint.
“Everything is up on blocks, We’re just putting everything on high, because the water was right here,” Hubbard said.
He’s doing what he can as he looks to his faith for guidance.
“We’ve done a lot of praying and stuff,” Hubbard said. “I’m prepared, but I’m not scared.”
Officials said the river rose a foot and a half overnight Wednesday and they’re hoping it doesn’t go up much more.
