Dozens of residents affected by Mississippi River flooding have signed up for FEMA assistance since Tuesday, but interest in the city’s flood buyout program remains low. Meanwhile, the falling river allowed for a cruise ship to dock in the city Wednesday for the first time in more than six weeks.

Federal Emergency Management Agency officials set up a disaster recovery center at the Kings Empowerment Center around noon Tuesday, and have since helped 26 people register, said spokesman Jody Correro. Additionally, two small-business owners have registered for a small-business loan.

The FEMA center will be in Kings indefinitely, said Correro, and is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

No one has signed up for the city’s flood buyout program. Mayor Laurence Leyens has said his goal is for 25 families to move from flood areas of the city within six months. A dozen residents have thus far requested information about the buyout program.

“There have been five or six families that have shown an interest, but nothing has been set in stone,” said Keysha McDonald, administrative assistant in the city’s planning department. “Everything is preliminary, we’ve just been answering questions for the most part.”

Gertrude Young, chairmann of a city committee looking to find solutions to the housing problem facing those whose homes were worst flooded, said the committee may look into raising funds to elevate or completely rebuild homes in Ford subdivision and Kings.

Flood victimsResidents and small business owners affected by flooding may register for FEMA assistance by calling 1-800-621-3362 or visiting www.fema.gov. To get information on the city’s buyout program, contact the city planning department at 601-634-4525, or visit its office at 819 South St. “If people have the private funds to raise their homes, or if we can get those funds through nonprofit agencies, they’ll be able to stay in their neighborhoods,” she said, noting she does not know how much money such an effort would require. “Some of those houses would have to be torn down and completely rebuilt.”

A city ordinance adopted in 2003 bars residents from securing a building permit or having utilities turned on if theirs home are located in a repetitive flood plain and are damaged by more than 50 percent of their appraised worth in a flood.

The river at Vicksburg surpassed flood stage of 43 feet on March 29 and swelled to 50.9 feet before cresting on April 19. It was the highest recorded river stage at the city since 1973, when the river topped out at 51.6 feet. An estimated 119 homes were affected by flooding in Warren County, with 71 being destroyed, according to a preliminary disaster assessment team that toured affected areas in April.

Wednesday, the American Queen docked in Vicksburg for the first time since April 1. The ship had been unable to berth due to high water, and was instead stopping in Natchez and busing tourists to Vicksburg if they wanted to visit tour sites, said Vicksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau Group Services Manager Sherry Jones.

“They have been touring Vicksburg, but not as much as if they could have docked here,” said Jones. “It will definitely help boost attendance” at local tour sites.

The American Queen docks in the city about once a week on average through June, at which point it ceases lower Mississippi River tours until November. About 200 to 400 passengers disembark from the ship in Vicksburg and are escorted by VCVB guides to area attractions of their choosing.

The Delta Queen canceled its lone spring stop in Vicksburg scheduled for April 21, and is slated to stop in the city only one more time this year, on Nov. 2, before being permanently retired.

The River Barge Explorer did not have any service to the city interrupted due to flooding, said Jones, but did have to make an unscheduled stop due to barge restrictions imposed by the Coast Guard that remain in effect. Lt. Teresa Hatfield, Coast Guard Supervisor of the Marine Safety Detachment, said she expects restrictions to be lifted sometime next week. Currently, southbound barge traffic is restricted to pass beneath the bridges at Vicksburg during daytime hours only.

LeTourneau Industries did not lose a significant amount of employees due to the monthlong layoffs forced by flooding of LeTourneau Road, said Marine Service Manager Ronnie Neihaus. When workers returned for full-time work on Monday, he said about 20 regular employees and 40 contracted employees had found other employment.

“The county and its contractors did a great job of getting the road back for us. Both lanes were open by Monday, which means we didn’t miss a lick,” said Neihaus.

About 1,400 employees and contractors are employed at LeTourneau, which builds offshore oil rigs.