Severe weather expected to hit the Pine Belt again after recent floods

FORREST COUNTY, Miss - Forrest County Emergency Management is anticipating for more rain to hit the Pine Belt after the recent floods earlier in March.

Emergency Management Director, Glen Moore, said, "The main threats its going to be 60 mph wind gusts, large hail, even some tornadoes will be possible."

Moore added that the Pine Belt expects around 3 to 5 inches of rain.

"If the rain just continues to rain in the same amount of area, then you know we may have a problem with flash flooding" Moore said.

Earlier in March the Pine Belt had up to 12 inches of rain which raised river waters and flooded communities.

"The soil is still saturated still from the heavy rainfall that we received a few weeks ago, the rivers right now are low enough that we should be able to handle 3 to 5 inches of rainfall, now if we get more rain than what they are forecasting the rivers could be an issue" said Moore.

One main thing Moore stresses for safety purposes is to avoid blocked roads.

He said, "If there is a barricade that is up, by all means do not go around that barricade, do not put yourself at risk by getting into a flood area and your car being swept away because of the weight of the water."

The Forrest county safe room plans to open if the weather worsens throughout the next two days.