Satellite photos show the full devastation of the Mississippi River flooding - as venomous snakes begin to settle in the homes and yards of the river's local residents, and new areas go on flood alert with the swollen wall of water moving south towards the Gulf of Mexico. Home-owners are being warned to take extra care when returning to their houses as copperheads and water moccasins are appearing along the river’s burst banks and clinging onto trees. The Mississippi River crested at Memphis, Tennessee, just inches below the all-time record as many animals were displaced and residents were also warned to look out for alligators, spiders and rats. The snakes can become aggressive when agitated and their bite that can cause severe swelling, experts say. They do not usually cause fatal bites but can cause extremely serious tissue damage. Other animals on President's Island in Memphis such as deer and wild turkey have been forced to look for higher ground or perish in the water, and many cattle have been displaced from farmland.The flooding is hurting farmers, with almost 3 million acres of farmland in Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee flooded or expected to flood and 500,000 acres of Mississippi Delta farmland underwater.‘There are 11 million cultivated acres of crops in Mississippi and damaged crops will have an effect on prices nationwide,’ a Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce spokesman said...read more...
