The grand Mississippi River has turned into a swelling monster by rainfall and snowmelt, forcing people to flee their homes and seek refuge for their belongings in the safety of self storage. Those self storage facilities at a safe distance from the floodwaters are seeing record-high occupancy rates, surpassing what was seen after Hurricane Katrina five years ago.
The river crested Friday at a record 61.8 feet in places near Vicksburg, Miss., according to the National Weather Service, more than three feet above the previous record set in 1937. And as the cresting grew closer, self storage space became increasingly scarce. The 200-plus units at Spanky's Mini Storage in Natchez, Miss., have been full for the last three weeks, assistant manager Cathy Felter told the Clarion Ledger. As the crest date grew closer, storage space became increasingly scarce, Felter said.
"You don't usually stay full like this," she said. "I think everyone in Adams County is full."
Clinton Storage Park sits far from the floodwaters that have crept into thousands of homes and businesses from Tunica to Natchez. Finding storage space closer to flood waters is difficult if not impossible. People from Vicksburg, Rolling Fork, and Yazoo City have come to Clinton with their personal vehicles and moving trucks packed with items to Clinton, said Jackie Melton, manager at Clinton Storage Park.
The murky waters continue their slow trek toward communities in Louisiana now. More than a week ago, the Army Corp. of Engineers opened the Morganza spillway, successfully sparing the heavily populated Baton Rouge and New Orleans from potentially catastrophic flooding.
At Benton Mini Storage near Yazoo City, Miss., all 116 self storage units are filled, owner Suzette Berry told the Clarion Ledger. Her storage business usually operates at about 50 percent capacity. During the past few weeks she has watched people lug in appliances, couches, beds and other items as people living along the Mississippi River faced possibly the worst flooding the state has seen in 70 years.
"This has been coming for a while," Berry said, adding people didn't wait long before storing their goods.
According to weather forecasters, the river could take weeks to recede to normal levels, so storage facilities in affected areas could be full or near-full for a while yet.
Those in Mississippi not taking advantage of the safety of self storage facilities are finding that their belongings that they have dragged out of their homes are being stolen. For the past couple of weeks, appliances and furniture have lined the streets in flooded neighborhoods. Reba Oren, who lives in Pocahontas, Miss., told WLBT in Jackson, Miss., that even with police patrolling the area and surrounding neighborhoods, belongings are still disappearing.
"We have been through enough and we had nothing left to save and what we had was taken," Oren told WLBT. "I had a stove, a refrigerator, a box of lighting stuff off of the carport, my bar stools and a bath tub taken," said Oren.
Sources Used:
“Storage Units Brimming: Flood Forces Many to Move Valuables.” ClarionLedger.com. May 20, 2011.
“The Mississippi River Floods Homes and Still Keeps Rising.” The Associated Press. May 22, 2011.
“Flood Victims Speak Out On Stolen Belongings.” WLBT.com. May 18, 2011.