JACKSON COUNTY — A disaster declaration for Jackson County including the western portion of the county along the Mississippi River was signed by Jackson County Board Chairman Keith Larkin Wednesday.
The sheriff’s office and emergency management officials in Jackson County request that people stay away from areas adjacent to the Mississippi River including the levee system unless you are a local resident. Anyone caught accessing the levee or driving on it is subject to a citation from the sheriff’s office. The levee system is restricted and accessible only to those authorized personnel possessing a levee pass.
The sheriff’s office is running dedicated patrols along the river to maintain security of the levee system and safeguard residents’ personal property.
Numerous roads are flooded, and with the projected rain, more roads will become impassible.
The Mississippi River is expected to crest at nearly 46 feet at Chester late Friday.
Officials are addressing a few areas of concern along the river including five sand boils located along the Fountain Bluff/Degognia portions of the levee system and two sinkholes located along Front Street in Grand Tower. These areas of concern are being closely monitored and addressed by Jackson County EMA, the Army Corps of Engineers and Grand Tower officials.
A full list of road closures can be found at JacksonCountyEMA.com.