RIPLEY, Tenn. (AP) — Lush green fields of cotton and soybeans are turning into lakes as flooding from the overfull Mississippi River inundates thousands of acres of farmland in west Tennessee.
Officials in Lauderdale County say about 175,000 acres of farmland are now covered with water 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.
On Tuesday, U.S. Rep. David Kustoff toured flooded areas of the county, located north of Memphis. Kustoff said he would try to get federal assistance for affected farmers.
Heavy rains have caused catastrophic flooding along Arkansas River in Oklahoma and Arkansas this spring. Trouble is now being seen farther south along the Mississippi River.
