Remnants of Gustav dump nearly a foot of rain in Jones Co.

By Jason Niblett and Steve Sanders, Laurel Leader-Call

September 03, 2008 01:12 pm

— About 25 Laurel residents spent the night in American Red Cross shelters already set up for hurricane evacuees after remnants of Gustav dumped nearly 10 inches of rain on the area.
Dozens of homes were either threatened or damaged by flash flooding, mostly in the North Laurel area of Jones County. Although the most damage was done in that area, many areas of Jones County also reported closed streets and roads and damaged buildings.
“Today has yet again been an active day,” National Weather Service Meteorologist in Charge Alan Gerard said during a conference call Tuesday afternoon. “We’ve had a lot of flooding and flash flooding across the area.”
Gerard said there were many reports of weak tornadoes in the National Weather Service Jackson service area.
“We typically don’t have long-lived supercells,” Gerard said.
However, he also said a supercell storm did form, impacting Jones, Jasper and Newton counties Tuesday morning. He said this storm also included reports of tornadoes and funnel clouds.
The tornado threat was forecasted to leave the area by Tuesday afternoon originally, but the National Weather Service extended watches for the area until midnight. Jones County could also see some more rain.
“What we’re hoping is we don’t see these heavy bands over the same areas that have already had between six and 12 inches of rain,” he said.
Tallahala Creek in Laurel is forecasted to crest at two feet above flood stage. Emergency Management Agency Director Don McKinnon said a flood level at that stage will mostly impact farmland.
Several businesses and residences off Highway 11 South also flooded Tuesday morning. Water covered the highway in front of Hardee's near the Interstate 59 fairgrounds exit, and several vehicles stalled trying to maneuver through the water.
Ditches along the highway overflowed, some into residential yards and others into commercial parking lots.
Portions of Ellisville flooded with streets underwater on Dawn Circle, off New August Road, and near Washington behind McDonald's. A portion of the carpet in the sanctuary of West Ellisville Baptist Church flooded as runoff water entered the building.
Jones County supervisors, after their Tuesday morning meeting, said they knew of at least five to six roads — and possibly more — in Beat Three and Beat Four which briefly under water. Portions of Orange Drive and Line Road were closed due to fallen trees.
Sheriff Alex Hodge said deputies and reserves helped clear roads not only Tuesday morning, but when the storm began moving through the county.
Deputies, reserve deputies and administrative personnel began working around the clock Sunday at 6 a.m. Hodge said. "We split the personnel over a day shift and a night shift," he said. "They helped clear roads, along with county crews and volunteer fire departments.
"We also provided security at the Magnolia Center, and will probably continue that through Wednesday," Hodge said. "We encountered no problems other than the huge number of people at the center.
Jones County Junior College — with campus closed Tuesday due to Gustav-related issues — canceled Wednesday classes after five campus buildings flooded. Impacted buildings were humanities, agricultural, community services, J. B. Young Technical and physical education.
"Crews were on the scene at 7 Tuesday morning beginning the clean-up process," said Dr. Jesse Smith, JCJC president. "This was the most water on the campus in 15 years, with the exception of three years ago when Hurricane Katrina (impacted Jones County). At that time, the humanities building had five inches of water running down the halls."
Smith said the humanities building was built in the late 1950s or the early 1960s, and is scheduled to be replaced. The building is in a very low-lying portion of the campus.
Evacuees are being asked to remain in shelters and hotels until Wednesday afternoon or Thursday. The governors of Mississippi and Louisiana have said people can begin returning home to some areas Wednesday, but New Orleans won’t be ready for people to return until Thursday. There are also several highways and roads still closed in South Mississippi and in Louisiana. Gasoline is also in short supply in some impacted areas.
Emergency officials are also keeping an eye on the next storm that could impact South Mississippi.
“Ike is probably the system that will have the most interest frum us,” Gerard said. “The overall pattern seems to favor western motion. It’s still too early to say if it will enter the Gulf.”
Gerard said Tropical Storm Hanna is forecasted to curve and impact the Atlantic Coast between Florida and South Carolina. He said Tropical Storm Josephine will probably move through the open Atlantic Ocean.

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