[Gov. Tate Reeves , Mississippi:] It's an unprecedented in the last 35 years. We are we haven't seen flood levels like this in the area since 1983.
[Blackwell:] Hundreds of people in neighborhoods around Jackson, Mississippi, they are getting out of the area because more historic flooding is coming.
[Walker:] The Pearl River is expected to rise up to ten feet above flood stage, endangering more than 2,000 homes and businesses. Let's bring in CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar with more. I mean, this is serious stuff.
[Allison Chinchar, Ams Meteorologist:] It is. The thing to notice, it's already at the fifth highest crest. But it may get as high as the third. Now, that's if we assume it gets up a foot and a half. Even if it doesn't, it has to get a half of a foot more to reach that third highest designation. So, yes, this is a big problem. So, let's take a look at what we're dealing with, because I also want to point out, this isn't the only river gauge that we're worried about. You have seven total river gauges that are at major flood stage, 36 are at moderate flood stage and over 130 of them at minor flood stage. So it's a pretty widespread situation here across the southeast. But now we focus in on the Pearl River. This is the one in Jackson we have been talking about. Currently, right know, it's at sitting at 36 point, just over a quarter of a foot. They're expecting it up to get to the 38 foot level over the next 24 hours. Here's a look. We talked about this. It's currently sitting at number five, beating out this particular spot here, but has the potential to get up to the number three spot, if it indeed reaches that 38 feet. But as we mentioned, what if it gets to only 37, what if it only gets to 36 12? It's still going to end up topping out at that number three spot. Now, the impacts because everybody wants to know, that number means nothing if you don't know what the impacts are. Right now, we're already starting to see water closing in on some of the homes, but if it gets at the 38 foot level it comes inside the homes. Here are some drone video again, you can see the water up to crossing the driveways or up to the front door, but not actually inside the homes. That's the concern, as the water rises, now they're going to start to see it flowing inside the homes, inside of businesses, things of that nature. And now, we're adding more on top of it. This is a look at the forecast over the next several days, notice it's one right after another, wave of rain coming in. Now, each individual one may not produce a ton of rain but overall look at this, two to four inches may not sound like that big of a deal but it's on top of what they have had. Look at the last 30 days. This red area, over 6 inches. The pink over ten inches, so that ground is already entirely saturated and now we're adding more rain on top of it. The other thing that was just the last 30 days, let's back it up even further, let's go back to the beginning of the year. Jackson, Mississippi2 inches of rain over a foot above normal. Knoxville, Birmingham, Greenville, all ten inches above normal. So, again, this is going to be a big problem. The focus is on Jackson and others may have a big concern once we get the next round of rain coming through, adding additional water to some other places as well.
[Blackwell:] Yes, rough time.
[Walker:] Very concerning. Allison Chinchar, thank you.
[Blackwell:] Thank you. All right. Breaking news in Japan, the evacuation of hundreds of Americans happening right now. They have been stuck on board a cruise ship under quarantine for almost two weeks now because of the coronavirus.
[Walker:] These are live pictures and you can see the buses moving in. The passengers will soon be bused from the Diamond Princess ship to the airport in Tokyo to board chartered flights back to the U.S. More than 400 Americans have been on board the Diamond Princess ship for the past 12 days, quarantined in their rooms if you can imagine that. Forty-six of them have tested positive for the coronavirus which means that they will not be able to evacuate with the others. Earlier, health experts from the CDC spoke to some of the passengers on board and here's what they said.
[Cdc Official:] Take a shower.
[Unidentified Male:] Yes.
[Cdc Official:] And put on a fresh set of clothes, because sometime after six is when you're going to start disembarking from this. But it will be close to 3 in the morning or later before we actually take off and dress in layers. This is a converted cargo 747. So it has less insulation than the regular passenger jet, layers to stay warm.
[Unidentified Male:] OK. Got you.
[Cdc Official:] Any questions?
[Unidentified Female:] Do you I was going to ask you something, but I can't remember. Are we for sure going to be quarantined for 14 days?
[Cdc Official:] Yes.
[Unidentified Female:] I didn't like that answer.
[Blackwell:] Yes, especially after being on that ship in those small state rooms. Some of them without windows, 24 hours a day for the last 12 days. If 46 people on that ship of the 69,000-plus confirmed coronavirus cases in 28 countries.
[Walker:] That's the reality, right? I mean, yes, they will be getting off the ship, they will be quarantined for 14 days unfortunately. Well, that is our time. Thanks for starting your morning with us.
[Blackwell:] "INSIDE POLITICS" with Nia-Malika Henderson up next after a break.