Memphis Threatened by Mississippi River

While the rain has subsided here in the New England area (hopefully I'm not jinxing us), midwestern and southern states are not as fortunate. More people are evacuating their homes due to rising water levels of the Mississippi River.  The river has already swamped homes in Memphis and is threatening many more.  Officials went door-to-door Sunday to warn about 240 residents to go before the river reaches its expected water level Tuesday.  1,300 homes have already been evacuated.

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According to CNN.com, levees seem to appear sound.  The near-record water levels are pushing many communities out of towns and cities in fear of the water that is moving "2 million cubic fee per second," stated by an official for the Army Corps of Engineers.  The river level is currently at 47.7 feet.  However, by Tuesday, the level is expected to reach 48 feet.

The Corps has created a spillway to divert about 1.87 million gallons of water into the Gulf of Mexico.  Memphis is suffering the worst from the floodwaters, but New Orleans (being such a low-lying city) is still threatened as well.  There hasn't been any new rain water, but according to the National Weather Service, the water levels still rose Sunday night.

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I couldn't image having to evacuate my home and all my personal belongings.  I don't think I would know what to take with me if I could take anything other than my dogs.  What would you take if your home was threatened and you were being told to evacuate within 24 hours?