is an historic part of this town. this is the frontlines of the flood here in mississippi. right now they re hoping it s going to hold, but as you say, john, they don t really know because the crest is not here yet. john? martin savidge for us. as he noted on the front line in mississippi. this is the front line in louisiana. trying to keep the water out of populated areas, the u.s. army corps of engineers, new orleans office. i know you re very busy. what is your biggest challenge right now? the spillway is open, things seem to be going as predicted. now what we re working on is working with the local power, working with the local levy districts to get flood fighting measures in effect that will come down as the water comes down the atchafalaya. it look loop back up and catch a community, even a community that has a flood wall
the state making a decision to open the spillway and release water into some communities, burying homes in those communities to protect communities like baton rouge, new orleans, one of the extraordinary measures this state is taking. the stakes are enormous. governor jindal saying $300 million alone in crop damage, tens of millions in other property damage. there are a dozen oil refineries in flood zone. there are chemical factories, homes and businesses as well. listen to governor jindal here explaining the tough decision to open the spillway he says will protect larger communities without a doubt but for the families right in the devastated zone, listen to how many homes could be, could be just buried. look, worst case scenario and i don t think the numbers will be this bad. they said 3 million acres under water. 20 to 30,000 people will be flooded. approximately between 11 or 15,000 homes. since then the estimate has been revised. they didn t have to open as much of the