Residents of Memphis have described the rising waters as “overwhelming”
The southern US city of Memphis is coping with near-record flooding that has forced the evacuation of at least 1,300 homes, officials have said.
The Mississippi River was expected to crest at 48ft (14.6m) on Monday in the Tennessee city, 14ft above flood stage.
The authorities have evacuated low-lying neighbourhoods, and officials said they were confident flood control systems would prevent further harm.
Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell said 400 people were staying in shelters.
Officials said they were confident levees along the river would hold back the water and that the authorities had 20,000 sand bags in reserve in case of a breach.
The National Weather Service said the Mississippi River would crest at about 1900 local time (2300 GMT) on Monday.
The record river height of 48.7ft was set in February 1937 during one of the worst Mississippi floods in US history.
Col Vernie Reichling Jr of the Army Corps of Engineers, which manages the Mississippi River flood control system, told reporters: “There should be no concern for any levees to fail.”
In downtown Memphis, the river had swollen to three miles (4.8km) wide from its typical width of half a mile, the Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper reported.
Engorged by the spring thaw, the river has caused significant flooding upstream in Illinois and Missouri.
Further downstream in Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana, the river has already passed flood stage.
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