Tropical Storm Arthur Remnants Trigger Mississippi Dam Failure, Flash Flood Emergencies in Carriere

Post-Tropical Storm Arthur’s remnants continued to lash swaths of the Southeast, expanding a threat of heavy rainfall and flooding into Mississippi and Alabama on Thursday morning.

The Washington Post said the system would roll across Georgia, the Florida Panhandle and the Carolinas on Thursday and Friday, producing widespread rainfall of 5 to 10 inches with isolated totals up to 20 inches.

ABC News

In Mississippi, KTBS 3 reported that a dam in southern Mississippi failed Thursday afternoon as the remnants of Tropical Storm Arthur triggered life-threatening flash floods throughout the Gulf Coast region, with the Anker Lake Dam near Carriere failing and a flash flood emergency issued for communities downstream along East Hobolochitto Creek.

KTBS 3 said radar estimates indicated that 4 to 9 inches of rain had already fallen across the vicinity, and it warned that East Hobolochitto Creek near the Caesar neighborhood in Picayune was cresting at a moderate flood stage and expected to reach major flood stage.

NBC News added that Arthur’s remnants were expected to bring 4 to 8 inches or more of rain to the Gulf states through Friday, while the National Weather Service said rain fell in some places in southern Louisiana and Mississippi at a rate of 3 inches per hour Thursday.

As Arthur’s remnants moved through South Mississippi, the Sun Herald reported that campers had to be rescued and dangled from trees over Mill Creek in the Perkinston community of Stone County.

The Sun Herald quoted Melanie Wheat of the Hancock County Emergency Management Agency saying, “We’re starting to get reports of houses flooding and the water is still rising,” and it said NWS meteorologist Megan Williams reported a wind gust of 78 miles per hour near U.S. 49 and the beach in Gulfport.

ABC11 News

KTBS 3 said forecasters warned the creek could surpass its all-time record crest of 21.5 feet, which was established on Sept. 2, 2012, and it described the situation at the dam as one of five flash flood emergencies declared across southern Louisiana and Mississippi on Thursday.

NBC News said the Midwest was also dealing with damage after a strong line of storms tore through parts of Illinois, Indiana and northern Kentucky on Wednesday, bringing possible tornadoes and leaving scores of homes without electricity.

CBS News said Arthur still posed threats of severe flash flooding from Texas to Florida through the end of the week, while the National Weather Service said “life-threatening flooding” was expected to continue in parts of the region.

KTBS 3 reported that a rare level 4 High Risk advisory for life-threatening flood potential was issued for southern Mississippi, southern Alabama, and the western Florida panhandle, and it said weather service data shows that historically, one-third of all flood-related fatalities and 80 percent of all flood-related damages occur within these high-risk zones.

“Arthur, a short-lived tropical storm and the first of this year's Atlantic hurricane season, lost some punch Wednesday after making landfall along the Gulf Coast of Texas”

CBS News

The WeatherNation report said a rare HIGH RISK for flash flooding had been issued from eastern Louisiana through western Florida, including southern Alabama and Mississippi, and it stated that “About a THIRD of flooding deaths in the US each year occur on high risk days.”

In Mississippi, FOX Weather reported that approximately 30 homes had been evacuated as a precautionary measure near the Anchor Lake Dam in Pearl River County, and it said Governor Tate Reeves warned there is “very little storage capacity remaining, and more rain is expected.”

KTBS 3 said the flash flood danger was expected to persist overnight and into Friday morning, and it warned the flash flood danger was expected to move across the South and into the Mid-Atlantic on Friday.

NBC News added that Arthur’s remnants were expected to keep weakening as they moved inland over southeastern Texas and western Louisiana, then cross the Southeast on Thursday through Friday, while the storm Thursday left a trail of downed trees, flooded roadways and building damage.