By 9 p.m., Sunday 750 people had filled the Magnolia Center, which has been converted to a temporary Red Cross shelter, and the Cameron Center numbers were at 200 and steadily rising. It will hold 400-500 evacuees.
“We are filling up very fast at the Cameron Center,” said JoAnne Bush, Magnolia Center shelter manager.
Bush said that the Red Cross is expecting between 1,000 and 1,100 people at the two shelters. Due to the increasing number of people stopping in Laurel, the Red Cross is looking to open additional shelters in the area.
Red Cross volunteers were busy Sunday night meeting the needs of those staying in the shelters. Mayor Melvin Mack was also on hand to give assistance where needed.
“Everyone has had a nice meal,” Bush said.
She added that she hoped a little southern hospitality would help easy some of the worry that is on people’s minds.
“We can’t fix it, but we can make them comfortable while they are here,” she said.
Lines filled with evacuees began forming at a steady pace around 9 a.m. Sunday. There were 480 evacuees registered at the Magnolia Center at 1 p.m. Sunday.
“Our steady flow started around 9 a.m.,” Carolyn Wood of the Pine Belt Chapter of the Red Cross said. “Some drove 8-12 hours, headed to Tennessee or other areas, and they were just too exhausted to drive anymore.” She said some would stay overnight and continue on to their destination.
Wood said no one from Jones County is staying at the center since less of an impact than originally forecast is expected. The center is set up to accommodate 750 evacuees.
Those that filled the Magnolia Center were from Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas.
“I’m pleased with our shelter and our volunteers,” said Bush, who added more additional volunteers have been scheduled to work the shifts at the Magnolia Center.
Wood, who was the shelter manager at the Magnolia Center after Hurricane Katrina, said about 8,000 evacuees came through the center over a period of three weeks following the storm.
Bush added that the Red Cross is always in need of monetary and other donations. She said that the supplies and meals are all donations from the public.
Laurel Leader-Call reporter Steve Sanders contributed to this report.
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Photo/Lacey Walters
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