The Vicksburg Housing Authority has vacant units available at its housing properties for people displaced by flooding who may need temporary housing.

“We currently have 10 vacancies that we can make available that we can readily move somebody into,” said Ben Washington, executive director of the Vicksburg Housing Authority at Friday’s meeting of the city’s High Water Response Team Committee. “They vary (in size); three-, four-bedroom, possibly a five.”

Warren County Emergency Management Director John Elfer said 65 homes in the county have been affected by flooding, and 46 people have been displaced. City figures were unavailable at press time.

Washington said after the meeting the vacancies are spread throughout VHA’s six properties.

He said people who have to evacuate their homes and need somewhere to live temporarily should call city housing director Gertrude Young at 601-634-4520 and fill out an application to get a Federal Emergency Management Agency case number.

The High Water Response Team Committee was formed by Mayor George Flaggs Jr. Dec. 29 to coordinate the city’s response to flooding from a 52-foot flood crest predicted to hit Vicksburg Jan. 15.

Flaggs said Friday the city’s flood preparations, which include shutting off entrances to the city’s floodwall, extending the wall to the intersection of Levee Street and Grove St., and building a 2-foot sandbag wall around the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Depot, were complete.

“We have done an awesome job,” Flaggs said. “In my opinion, we have exceeded all expectations. We will be ready. We couldn’t have asked for more volunteers. More help from Hinds County. It’s not over yet. We can’t relax; this is just the preparation. We have to go into action mode. The water is coming Monday.”

Police Chief Walter Armstrong said police have established two posts in Ford Subdivision and the Kings community with one car on patrol in those two areas. So far, he said no roads have been blocked in the Cedars Road area off U.S. 61 South.

“So far, we have six officers working a total of 24 hours,” Armstrong said.

Saturday morning, a police car was blocking the intersection of Ford Street at Eva Street as floodwaters covered Ford and Williams Street and were encroaching on Eva.

Warren County Emergency Management Director John Elfer Saturday said the Mississippi was at 47.3 feet and forecast to reach 48.5 feet Sunday and 50 feet by Tuesday

According to city and county officials, Ford, Williams and Eva streets in Ford Subdivision, and Pittman Street, Marys Alley and Brown Alley in Kings have been closed because of high water.

So far, Elfer said, 20 city and county roads and one state highway, Mississippi 465, are affected by high water.

Sheriff Martin Pace said Saturday LeTourneau Road by LeTourneau landing was underwater.

He said deputies were patrolling the Chickasaw community and Fords by boat, and Saturday afternoon were checking on camps and cottages along Ziegler Road and Laney Camp Road, which are on the west side of the mainline levee.