Floodgates opened along Mississipi River

Thousands of residents living in the floodpath of the Mississippi River are leaving their homes after US army engineers were forced to open floodgates in Louisiana to protect the large cities along the river. Up to three thousand square miles of land are expected to be affected over the coming days, following the move which was designed to ease pressure on the cities of Baton Rouge and New Orleans. This is the first time in four decades the level of the Mississippi has forced the floodgates to be opened. The Mississippi and its tributaries have caused massive flooding upstream, due to heavy rainwater and the spring thaw, causing the worst flooding in the state since 1927. If the spillway had not been opened, New Orleans could have been found itself under six meters of water. Around 25 thousand people are expected to be affected by the flood waters.

Listen to Sean-Patrick Lovett's report: