UNITED STATES NEWS

People rescued from cars and homes as rapid rainfall causes flash flooding in central Mississippi

Jul 13, 2023, 10:46 AM

LOUISVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Torrential rain fell for several hours Thursday in central Mississippi, flooding roads, homes and businesses in Winston County and Louisville, where the mayor declared a state of emergency.

“Please do not travel anywhere in Louisville or Winston County unless it is an absolute emergency,” Mayor Will Hill said on Facebook. “This is not a typical flash flood and like no thing we’ve experience(d) in our area, maybe ever.”

Winston County Sheriff Jason Pugh said law enforcement officers rescued three people from vehicles and removed several others from homes as the water rose.

Swift water washed one car into a ditch, and the driver escaped before the car submerged. The man stood knee-deep in the floodwater on top of his car as officers rescued him, Pugh told The Associated Press.

About 17,500 people live in Winston County. The largest town, Louisville, is about 95 miles (153 kilometers) northeast of Jackson.

No deaths or serious injuries were reported in the county within the first six hours of the heavy rainfall, which started about 6 a.m., the sheriff said.

“We’re urging our residents not to travel unless absolutely necessary,” Pugh said. “We’re going to have a lot of roads washed out after this has receded.”

The mayor said the focus Thursday would be on people’s safety and that damage would be looked at later.

“We (City and County) have declared a State of Emergency and we will look at damages after the storm,” Hill’s Facebook post said. ”Repeat, it’s life safety first and then we will work on damages and especially Street and roadway closures. Be smart, be safe, and pray for Louisville and Winston County as a whole.”

Pugh said the last time he can recall this type of rapid rainfall in the area was in 1977, when he was a child. “There are streets in Louisville that are flooded that I’ve never seen flooded,” he said.

The Mississippi Department of Transportation issued flash flood warnings on some state highways in Winston and Neshoba counties. Roadways were also flooded in nearby Choctaw and Noxubee counties, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said.

Gov. Tate Reeves said on Facebook that at least two roads in the area were impassable and that a highway was closed because of about 5 inches of water on the road. Reeves said the county had requested a boat team, which was responding.

He also said a shelter was open for residents seeking higher ground. “We’re standing ready to help support the residents there as the situation develops,” Reeves said.

Parts of central Mississippi could receive up to 10 inches (25.4 centimeters) of rain Thursday, the National Weather Service said.

United States News

Associated Press

Authorities responding to reports of multiple victims in shooting at University of Nevada, Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Police officers were responding Wednesday to a “confirmed active shooter” in a building at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the university announced in a post on the social media platform X. “This is not a test,” the university wrote. “RUN-HIDE-FIGHT.” Las Vegas police said in a separate post on X […]

10 minutes ago

FILE - Republican presidential candidates from left, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, Florida Gov....

Associated Press

Four GOP candidates will be on the debate stage, while Trump holds a fundraiser. Follow live updates

Four Republican presidential hopefuls — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie — will be participating in Wednesday night’s debate in Alabama. The early front-runner for the GOP nomination, former President Donald Trump, will be holding a fundraiser in Florida instead. […]

11 minutes ago

Associated Press

Lawsuit accuses Sean Combs, 2 others of raping 17-year-old girl in 2003; Combs denies allegations

NEW YORK (AP) — A woman sued the hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs on Wednesday, claiming he and two other men raped her 20 years ago in a New York City recording studio when she was 17. The woman, whose name wasn’t disclosed in the court filing, is the fourth person to file a lawsuit […]

26 minutes ago

Associated Press

Republicans threaten contempt proceedings if Hunter Biden refuses to appear for deposition

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans are warning Hunter Biden that they will move to hold him in contempt of Congress if he doesn’t appear this month for a closed-door deposition, raising the stakes in the growing standoff over testimony from President Joe Biden’s son. Hunter Biden has insisted that he will only testify to the […]

36 minutes ago

Associated Press

Three North Carolina Marines were found dead in a car with unconnected exhaust pipes, autopsies show

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Three Marines found dead from carbon monoxide poisoning in a car outside a North Carolina gas station in July were in a vehicle with unconnected and rusted exhaust pipes, according to newly released autopsy findings. The Pender County Sheriff’s Office had already said months ago that autopsies performed on Camp Lejeune […]

56 minutes ago

Associated Press

Indiana’s appeals court hears arguments challenging abortion ban under a state religious freedom law

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana’s Court of Appeals questioned attorneys this week on exceptions to the state’s abortion ban in a case involving residents who are suing on grounds that it violates a state religious freedom law. The class action lawsuit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana on behalf of five anonymous residents […]

1 hour ago

Sponsored Articles

Follow @KTAR923...

Valley residents should be mindful of plumbing ahead of holidays

With Halloween in the rear-view and more holidays coming up, Day & Night recommends that Valley residents prepare accordingly.

Follow @KTAR923...

The 2023 Diamondbacks are a good example to count on the underdog

The Arizona Diamondbacks made the World Series as a surprise. That they made the playoffs at all, got past the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Wild Card round, swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS and won two road games in Philadelphia to close out a full seven-game NLCS went against every expectation. Now, […]

...

DAY & NIGHT AIR CONDITIONING, HEATING AND PLUMBING

Importance of AC maintenance after Arizona’s excruciating heat wave

An air conditioning unit in Phoenix is vital to living a comfortable life inside, away from triple-digit heat.

People rescued from cars and homes as rapid rainfall causes flash flooding in central Mississippi