River dwellers get ready for possible flooding - WLOX.com - The News for South Mississippi

Torrential rain is headed our way. It’s expected to arrive here later this week. The WLOX First Alert Weather Team has been telling us that for the past few days. 

Because of that, people who live along South Mississippi rivers are keeping a close eye on the forecast, just in case they need to move to higher ground. Doug Walker visited one waterfront neighborhood where people are taking no chances.

The Tchoutacabouffa River is calm and peaceful now. In a couple days, it could be raging over its banks, flooding the River Bluff Drive neighborhood, spilling over onto the slabs of the raised homes. People who live here, like Hardy Jones, know what to do. 

“I just gather stuff together so it doesn't float away, things that can't be damaged by water. Then, I put all the good stuff, like lawnmowers and gas cans, I put all that up higher,” Jones explained.

He said neighbors also watch out for each other.

“We start calling people and say, hey, just start looking and getting ready,” said Jones.

Preparedness is the key word when you live on the water, according to long-time resident Virginia LoCoco. 

“We always pick up just like you would for a hurricane. That's pretty obvious. We have storerooms under the house. It's a raised house so everything that can get wet but not be destroyed, but we don't want it to float off, we put under the house,” LoCoco said.

Andy and Pam Cosper don't live here now, but they plan to. They were out looking at some property Tuesday. Flooding threats won't hold them back, according to Andy. 

“For the price you pay to get up every morning and look at something that's so beautiful every morning, it's worth every now and then to have to pick a few things up and put them on the back porch or put them in a trailer and drive them to a friend’s house,” said Andy.

These types of flooding events happen two to three times a year along the banks of the Tchoutacabouffa River. For the people who live along the river, is it really worth the inconvenience and the hassle of having to prepare so often?

Jones has an answer for that. 

“It's not for everybody, but if you want to enjoy 360 days out of the year with the river, it's the price you pay.”

“We love this place, and every morning when you look out over that, it's worth it,” LoCoco agreed.

The river residents said the waters recedes rather quickly following a flood event, so they are able to get back to their homes usually within a couple of days.

Copyright 2016 WLOX. All rights reserved.