RANKIN COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) – Mississippi is preparing for two tropical storm systems on next week. Mike Word, director of the Rankin County Emergency Operations Center, said they’re monitoring Tropical Storm Laura and Tropical Storm Marco.
“We checked water bodies this morning, and the water temperature is very warm. And it’s very conducive to creating a pretty powerful hurricane. So obviously people need to watch those tracks as it gets really into the Gulf and gets going. And we are going to have to wait and see where it makes landfall at and intensity, which will really dictate what kind of weather we will have,” he explained.
Word said in all weather situations, it’s important to make sure neighbors get information from experts and not just social media.
“The misinformation is absolutely unbelievable in our day in age with social media. When you’re dealing with life and death situations with potentially bad weather, flash floods, spin-off tornadoes, storm surge all of those things are coming in. Sot let’s not rely on social media. Let’s go to the experts the National Hurricane Center, and the National Weather Service and our local meteorologists, and get your information there. Take all of those sources, and you’re going to get a really good idea of what’s going to happen,” said Word.
Neighbors are also advised to create a plan for their families, along with an evacuation kit. The kit should include medications, water, batteries, a flash light and all the necessities that people need to sustain themselves for 72 hours.
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