Authorities in Mississippi were bracing Sunday for the possibility of catastrophic flooding in and around the state capital of Jackson as water levels rise precipitously in a river swollen by days of torrential rain.

The Associated Press Feb 17, 2020  Updated 1 hr ago

Days and days of heavy rain have created a dilemma for authorities managing dams along swollen rivers in Mississippi and Tennessee.

The water has to be released eventually, worsening the flooding for people living downstream.

Mississippi faces a “precarious situation that can turn at any moment,” Gov. Tate Reeves said Sunday in Jackson, where the Pearl River was expected to peak Monday after flooding the state capital and its surroundings.

With more rain on the way this week, it could be days before the floodwaters begin to recede, he warned.

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