Impacts minor as river rises in Mississippi’s Delta region
Published 4:00 pm Wednesday, January 6, 2016
- Residents of this Tunica Cutoff community fish camp flee from the rising water from the Mississippi River that forced the closure of their northwestern Mississippi fish camp, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2016, near Tunica, Miss. The National Weather Service predicts a slightly lower crest than earlier estimates. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
TUNICA, Miss. (AP) — The Mississippi River still has more than a foot to rise before its predicted crest Saturday at Tunica, but residents and casino officials say the rare winter flood will be a manageable nuisance.
Wednesday morning, residents of fishing camps at Tunica Cut-Off had mostly evacuated, as Entergy Mississippi prepared to cut power as a precaution.
Trending
About 10 miles upriver, the Fitz Casino & Hotel is pumping water out as a precaution, but General Manager Steve Ditchkus emphasizes that his gambling hall remains open for business. That’s a message tourism authorities are pushing, fearing patrons will be needlessly scared away, even as all eight Tunica County casinos remain operating.
The National Weather Service is lowering its predicted crest at Memphis, Tennessee, by a few inches, but is maintaining earlier predictions downriver.
