Virginia City Could Be Under 17 Feet Of Water In 7 Minutes If Dam Fails
LYNCHBURG, Va. (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — A deluge of rain in Virginia has prompted evacuations below an overflowing dam.
The National Weather Service said up to six inches of rain fell within hours, filling College Lake near Lynchburg beyond capacity. The service says a failure of the College Lake Dam could flood parts of Lynchburg with 17 feet of water in just seven minutes.
County officials reported the dam's "imminent failure" at around 9:30 p.m. They were still looking for signs of structural failure early Friday as water spilling over the dam threatened more than 120 houses in the city of 80,000.
Local fire and police were sending boats to rescue people to and take them to area shelters. A flash flood watch remains in effect until Friday evening.
Lynchburg, Virginia, is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, about 50 miles from Roanoke.
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