One of the last places in Mississippi in the mood for heavy rain is the South Delta still under water from backwater flooding.
If Barry will be as bad as experts say the Delta can expect to see five to seven inches of rain this weekend which would be the final straw for farmers and homeowners who’ve been underwater since February.
Living surrounded by water has now become second nature for those in the wetlands, but on the doorstep of hurricane season, many feel like they are in danger.
“What is coming in the sky is absolutely scary,” Jimmy Hudson told us.
While the Steele Bayou Gates remain open, heavy rainfall from Barry could raise backwater flood levels by more than a foot in just one week.
“We’re in a bath tub, if we get the predicted rainfall and you come back in 3-4 days I’ll be standing waist deep in water,” Hudson said. “My levee that’s survived all of this is potentially not going to make it in this storm that’s coming in.”
Working non-stop to raise his levee, Hudson tells me he was on the verge of passing out. People like him were relieved as high schoolers from Yazoo City drove out and volunteered to help.
“We come here to do it because our parents told us to and it’s pretty important,” Mills Paul said. “Cause we’re not only helping ourselves, we’re helping other people out and doing a favor for them.”
“My dad he only got to plant 60% of what he farms, so 40% of that is underwater,” Tres Paul explained. “When we got up here I realize we don’t have it as bad as they do up here.”
Meanwhile across town on Spanish Fort Rd. Paulette Gordon who lives alone is seeing her levee weaken as Barry approaches but doesn’t want to abandon her home.
“I cannot leave my home, I’m not ready,” Gordon said. “My husband has only been dead a year as of June 25th and we built this house together. Just not ready to give it up, I know I maybe should leave, but I’m just not ready.”
Both the Gordon and Hudson family do have emergency bags packed with extra food and medicine is case they get stranded and forced to evacuate and they encourage everyone in the storm’s path to do the same and check on your neighbors.
