Residents in Nashville, Illinois, are evacuating their homes after emergency management officials warned the failure of the city’s dam was “imminent”.
Nashville, a small city in Illinois with a population of nearly 3,000 people, and surrounding areas have been hit with severe storms which have caused flooding, overwhelming the city’s infrastructure. More than 5in of rain fell in the region within six hours on Tuesday.
“Attention The Failure of the Nashville dam is imminent. Please evacuate your home at this time. If you are in the grey box, you need evacuate now!” the Washington county emergency management agency wrote on Tuesday on Facebook.
The dam, located behind the Nashville City Reservoir, is 740ft long and 26ft tall according to the Illinois environmental protection agency.
Roads have closed and the Red Cross has been activated. A community center has also been opened for those seeking shelter.
“In response to the dam failure and flooding taking place in Nashville, IL, the Red Cross along with community partners, such as the Washington County IL emergency management agency, are working to establish a shelter located at 680 W Walnut St in Nashville,” the American Red Cross of Illinois announced.
The National Weather Service in St Louis, Missouri – roughly 55 miles north-west from Nashville – issued a flash flood warning on Tuesday morning.
A Flood Watch is now in effect for parts of southeast Missouri and southwest Illinois for heavy rain and the threat for flash flooding tonight. Before that, a low threat for damaging wind exists for most of the area. Have a way to get warnings, and NEVER drive over flooded roads. pic.twitter.com/GOic1ljkwr
— NWS St. Louis (@NWSStLouis) July 16, 2024
More rainfall is predicted for the region.
The cause of the Nashville dam failure is not yet known. Washington county emergency management agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
