Officials in southeast Texas are urging evacuated residents to stay away from their homes after an eight-inch hole was discovered in a major dam.
Those living south of the Carter Lake dam in Camden, around 70 miles north of Houston, were first notified to leave their homes on Saturday night following concerns that the dam had been compromised. Authorities said a resident in the area had reported “rushing water leaking from the dam”.
Emergency crews went door to door, warning residents to evacuate after a hole was discovered in a nearby embankment. Now, residents are being urged to stay away for a further three days, with emergency shelters established to house those displaced.
In a statement, Polk County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) said the dam’s owners have now employed engineers who are working to pump water out of the lake to assess the damage.
“The goal is to reduce the lake’s water level about another 2 ft. from where it is currently to give the dam’s property owners a better view of the extent of the damage,” it wrote. “Pumping crews will be monitoring the pumps overnight, and Emergency response partners will be monitoring the area of concern throughout the night.
“The dam’s property owners hope to begin conversations with an engineering firm tomorrow. The County estimates that it may take up to 3 days to know the extent of the damage and receive assurance from the engineer that the dam is stable and it’s safe for residents to return home.
“Persons residing in the evacuation area are encouraged to avoid the area until further notice.”
Officials told local media that there are believed to be around 20-30 houses in the impacted area. The flash flood warning will remain in place in the area until 6:00 pm local time on Monday.
So far, there have been no reports of flooding, with a “steady” trickle of water coming from the dam since Saturday, officials have said.
A shelter has been set up in a local gym in Livingston.
