"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.