Hurricane Ivan made its presence known in Starkville when storms hit the city early Thursday bringing heavy rain and harsh winds.
“We had winds that measured up to 75 mph,” said Alderman-at-Large Vic Zitta.
“As of 4:35 p.m. Thursday, the Golden Triangle airport had confirmed 3.13 inches of rain since midnight Sept. 16,” said Fred Hexom, a graduate student in the geosciences department.
Gov. Haley Barbour declared Mississippi in a state of emergency Wednesday. Mayor Pro Tempore Frank Davis said the city of Starkville and Oktibbeha County also declared themselves in a state of emergency.
“This means that the city and county have emergency purchasing power,” he said. “The government will reimburse us if we needed certain things. Also, this stops stores, motels, and other businesses from price gouging.”
States of emergency are only good for a period of seven days and then can be renegotiated as necessary.
“Hopefully the storm will be out of here (in the next seven days) and things will come back into normal,” Davis said.
In addition to declaring itself in a state of emergency, the city of Starkville prepared for the storm by opening shelters at Herbert Hall and the First United Methodist Church.
“We had some evacuees in hotels and some in the shelters,” said Cerese Teel, executive director of the Oktibbeha County Chapter of the American Red Cross. “Some people called and opened their homes and others offered their trailer park facilities for people in trailers and mobile homes.”
The Mississippi Horse Park housed horses from the coast, she added.
Six families sought refuge at First United Methodist. MSU’s Baptist Student Union provided the families with spaghetti and other meals while they were seeking refuge from Ivan.
After Thursday’s storms, one member of MSU’s extended family was reported killed. Curriculum and instruction department head Esther Howard’s husband, Bill Parker of Noxubee County, died in a storm-related accident Thursday morning, according to a representative of Cockrell Funeral Home of Macon. At press time, further details were not available.
Doug Gillham, a meteorology instructor, said a couple of students left to track and chase the hurricane. Those students who did not leave Tuesday to chase the storm left around noon Wednesday after their classes.
Two students, Justin Jackson, a graduate student, and Greg Nordstrom were able to chase Hurricane Frances and Hurricane Charley successfully in the past.
Keeyon Scott, a junior communication major, said that he was in emotional turmoil Wednesday because his family resides in Gulfport. Last year, a hurricane left the city in complete shambles, leaving many families homeless and without anything of personal value or use.
“The hurricane that hit Gulfport last year was in category 3, but Hurricane Ivan is said to be in category 5. Last year’s hurricane was an eyesore. I ‘m just really concerned for my family and Gulfport residents right now.”
Scott, whose home is only one mile away from the beach, said many of the Gulfport residents did not have an evacuation plan for Hurricane Ivan and fear that those people are in great danger.
“Originally my family planned on coming here, to Starkville, to stay with me in my apartment, but they decided that they will evacuate to the far west, past Louisiana or Texas until further notice,” he said.
Tracy Jackson, a senior in elementary education, said that she had family living with her from Pearlie Pascagoula, Fla. until the storm subsides. Families from the area were advised to evacuate the city no later than noon Wednesday.
“Families that have not evacuated have been told that they should call the coroner’s office to inform them of how many family members will be staying behind and a description of any body identification marks,” Jackson said.
Teel said the American Red Cross is seeking donations to its Disaster Relief Fund to help those families who have been affected by hurricanes. She said she encourages those who can donate to the disaster relief fund to do so.
“The Red Cross disaster relief fund is low and our resources are stretched thin with the back to back hurricanes in Florida,” she said. “All disaster relief is free to the public and we depend upon individual donations to carry out relief efforts.”
“We have already contacted individuals, businesses, churches, schools, television, radio, newspapers and cable to help raise the much needed funds to help the people in Florida,” Teel said.
The National Disaster Relief Fund is designed to help victims of catastrophic disasters in all states. The fund was the ARC’s primary source of help in 2001 when Oktibbeha County was hit hard by severe storms.
Those who would like to make a donation toward the fund are encouraged to go online to www.redcross.org or drop off or mail checks to the local chapter at 501 Hwy. 12 West, Suite 160, Starkville, 39759. Checks should be made payable to the American Red Cross and “earmarked” Disaster Relief Fund and not to the local chapter.