(Mississippi River) Flooding Takes Vast Economic Toll, and It’s Hardly Done

[alp227]

Source: The New York Times

The swollen Mississippi River, already spilling over into wide areas of the Mississippi Delta, has dealt the South a heavy economic blow that is seeping into every possible corner of the region’s commercial and agricultural life.

From Tennessee to Louisiana, the arteries and tributaries that normally supply the lifeblood of trade and business to the communities along the river’s banks are now paralyzing them. The engorged river has disrupted waterway commerce, delaying barge traffic and forcing some cargo to be trucked overland. Grain elevators, a crucial link to the nation’s grain exports, have been swamped. Early corn and soybean plantings on delta farms are submerged.

Like the very nature of water, the trickle-down effects of the historic flooding are leaving no corner untouched. Retail gasoline prices, already at two-year highs, and food prices could rise in the region because of supply disruptions. Tens of thousands of people are unemployed, shut out of jobs at establishments that are literally under water. State and local government coffers, strained because of the economic downturn, may lose many millions of dollars in revenue from tourism and taxes.

In about a dozen interviews, economists, farmers and industry officials said they expected hundreds of millions of dollars in damages including crop and infrastructure destruction in communities along the 740 miles of river that meanders from Memphis to New Orleans. But while the final bill has yet to be determined, the costs are already being felt.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/18/us/18river.html

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With much respect and support for my fellow DUers and citizens of affected regions.

[defendandprotect]

1. Wondering how many DU'ers are being effected by this - ????

And NO to be hit again?

Food supply is getting hit over and over again --

all over the world!!

Wake up, America!!

[florida08]

2. this is a devestation to the region and the country

Not a good time for defunding FEMA. Repealing oil subsidies sure would have been helpful.

Crop lost estimates are definitely around $800 million for Mississippi alone,” Riley said. To that $800 million, Riley added another $500 million in estimated losses in Arkansas, and several hundred million more caused by flooding in Louisiana, Missouri and farmland north of Memphis in Tennessee.

Homes and business are being damaged, and there are all the industries that feed into agriculture. There are going to be far reaching losses,” Riley said. “So $2 billion is probably just a starting point in terms of overall, everything put together.”

[juajen]

3. Thanks, it will be rough going, and it's already pretty damn rough. NT