(SS) – Lush green fields of cotton and soybeans turned into lakes Tuesday as flooding from the overfull Mississippi River covered thousands of acres of farmland in Lauderdale County in west Tennessee. Officials say about 175,000 acres of farmland are now underwater in the worst time of year. County Mayor Maurice Gaines Jr. says early July flooding means farmers won’t be able to replant in time for the fall harvest, ruining countless numbers of crops.
The Mississippi River was cresting at 35 feet (10.7 meters) Tuesday near Ripley. Flood stage is 28 feet (8.5 meters), according to the National Weather Service. “It’s been devastating,” Gaines said Tuesday. “These waters couldn’t have come at a more inopportune time. Most of the farmers have all their fields planted.” In February, flooding along the Mississippi, Tennessee and other rivers in the South caused billions of dollars in damage to homes, businesses and farmland. READ MORE
