Heavy rain and flooding brings deja vu for one local county

CALHOUN COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- The heavy rains are bringing back some unpleasant memories of last year for many in our area, especially in Calhoun County.

Many in Calhoun County are hoping they won’t see a repeat of 2019, including Hunter Spencer.

Monday’s rainfall turned Spencer’s front yard into a mini river.

“I have never seen it get this high in 29 years,” said Spencer, who’s a longtime Calhoun County resident.

However, Spencer said he’s more concerned with the road closings than he is about the water in his yard.

He lives on County Road 481, which is one of roughly 10 roads that closed due to flooding.

“I’m just concerned with the roads and with people being able to travel on them and getting from home to work safely, and back home,” Spencer expressed. “It holds up work man, you just can’t make a living sitting at the house watching the rainfall.”

So far, the county has had minimal damage, but for some residents the talk of heavy rain and flooding brings about a little deja vu.

It was in February of 2019 when heavy rainfall caused several street closures, and turned many neighborhoods and fields into lakes and rivers.

“We’re about a week off from our one year anniversary of it, and it’s not too often that you get two hundred year floods that close together so we’re hoping that we avoid another one,” said Randy Skinner, Calhoun County EMA Director.

More rain fall is in the forecast, and Skinner admits, having a repeat of last year is a big fear.

“You never get used to it,” said Skinner. “You always got that feeling, and that worry of ‘what if.’ You try your best to prepare for it but when you’re dealing with flood waters, you have no control over that. Floodwaters are so powerful that it could be six to eight inches rising in a matter of minutes, you never know.”

Skinner said the county learned from what they went through last year.

Now, they’re being proactive, by having sandbags filled, and keeping an eye on flood prone areas.

Although he’s hoping things will remain quiet, the ema director has a little advice for residents.

“Pay attention to the weather, if you see the water rising don’t wait, make a plan, and if you see that there may be a threat to your property or yourself get out,” said Skinner. “Don’t wait until the water is up then it’s too late to make that move. When you are dealing with floodwaters, it’s solid, you won’t hear it coming, you’ve got to pay attention to the weather.”

Most of the roads that were closed on Monday have re-opened, but county leaders urge residents to use caution.

Skinner said first responders in the area are on standby while they remain under a Flood Watch.