Mississippi River Shut Down

The Mississippi River was shut down about 1:00 a.m. Sunday when two barges hit the U.S. 80 bridge over the river.  The barge, part of a southbound tow, continued south before being corralled about 3 miles south of the bridge, on the western bank of the MS across from Riverwalk Casino.  The barge was carrying 80,000 gallons of crude oil, and a sheen on the muddy river water was noticeable by daylight Sunday. 

Nearly 1,600 gallons of a greasy water mixture had been skimmed from the MS River where a damaged crude oil barge continued to leak this morning, U.S. Coast Guard officials said.  

"What we're trying to figure out now is the exact amount that is unaccounted for," Petty Officer 3rd Class Jonathan Lally said this morning.  

As cleanup operations continued, official were eyeing a severe storm system expected to hit tonight between 9 and 3 in the morning with high winds and possible tornadoes.  The high today was 79 degrees and The National Weather Service is saying this is a rare set of  events.    

Flags blowing in the wind at the Mississippi Welcome Center at the bridges.

WAPT-TV Channel 16 News truck parked at the visitor's center.  They were getting set-up to broadcast.

This is the bridge that the two barges with oil hit.  

Flag atop old Hwy 80 bridge at Vicksburg, MS.

I-20 bridge at the back of the Mississippi Visitors Center sporting flags and civil war cannons.

The towboats, M/V Natures Way Endeavor and General sitting on the west bank of the Mississippi River today.  The river is closed 8 miles south and north of Vicksburg.

In this aerial photo, five tows with barges sit in the Mississippi River north of the Vicksburg-Tallulah Regional Airport at dusk yesterday morning.   Melanie Thortis ~ The Vicksburg Post