Jackson, Mississippi Flooding: Officials "Cautiously Optimistic"

Facts

• On Mon. city officials for Jackson, Miss. said they're "cautiously optimistic" as the Pearl River appeared to be cresting at 35.35 ft - just shy of major flood stage - after record rainfall.
• This comes as Jackson's mayor urged residents to evacuate flood zones on Sun., and as Gov. Reeves declared a state of emergency in response to the relentless rain that caused the Pearl River to escape its banks and flood.
• The state of emergency was declared in anticipation that the river - which runs through the southern part of Jackson - was expected to crest at 35.5 ft. on Mon., seven ft above flood stage.
• In response to the flooding, the state has deployed 126k sandbags. Search and rescue teams and drone support are on standby to support local response efforts along the river.
• Miss. has been dealing with the flooding since August 22, and, so far, at least 42 homes, five farms, nine businesses, and 43 roads have been reported as damaged. However, officials predict that the water level has peaked and will begin to recede.
• The same area of the city was impacted by flooding in 2020. Reeves said to residents "if your home flooded in 2020, there is a high probability it will happen again."

Sources: CNN, Democracy Now, NBC, abc, and Washington Post.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by NPR. This catastrophic flooding event isn't a one-off occurrence. As our climate continues to change, the frequency and magnitude of these events will increase, destroying property and taking lives. More education is needed about climate change and its connection to increased flooding.
• Narrative B, as provided by Yale Environment 360. Dismissing these types of events as a result of climate change dangerously absolves policymakers of any responsibility. Not every extreme rain event has to result in devastating flooding, but it often does due to government ineptness and poor infrastructure. Rather than pointing our fingers at climate change, we should focus on holding those who are actually able to manage these disasters accountable.