Hundreds of people were told to evacuate – or be washed away – before a dam failed amid heavy storms.
Many residents of Nashville, a town of more than 3,000 in the state of Illinois, had to abandon their homes before the water could no longer be held back.
Washington County declared an emergency alert warning of ‘life-threatening’ flash flooding and the ‘imminent’ failure of the Nashville Dam.
The warnings came to pass, with water overflowing from the top of the dam and pouring downstream towards homes and workplaces.
After emergency services were sent to help around 300 evacuate from the zone close to Nashville City Reservoir, there were no reports of injuries.
However, crews were sent to a home where a woman reported water up to her waist, said Alex Haglund, a spokesperson for the Washington County Emergency Management Agency.
The National Weather Service said 5-7 inches of rain fell over an eight-hour period and an 11-mile stretch of Interstate 64 highway in the Nashville area was closed because of flooding.
Heavy rain and tornadoes have hit the US Midwest, cutting power to hundreds of thousands and killing a woman in Indiana when a tree fell onto a home.
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The Washington County IL Emergency Management Agency has called for people near the Nashville City Reservoir to leave and head to shelters.
It released an eerie warning, repeating over and over again: ‘Attention. The failure of the Nashville Dam is imminent.
‘Please evacuate your home at this time. The community centre is open for shelter.’
The evacuation area includes Nashville Grade School and Nashville High School.
Just an hour earlier, the agency posted: ‘Washington County is experiencing an emergency flood situation.
Area that will be hit by flash floods
Washington County warned that the below areas will experience flash floods:
Breese, New Baden, Carlyle, Nashville, Okawville, Germantown, Albers, Wamac, Beckemeyer, Lively Grove, Irvington, Ashley, Shattuc, New Memphis, Boulder, Posen, Bartelso, Beaucoup, Hoyleton and Johannisburg
‘Stay at home unless evacuations are needed. Do NOT attempt travel. Many roads are underwater with another 2-4 inches of rain possible. Crossing flooded areas may result in permanent injury or death.’
Charles Meier, Illinois state representative, said rain was continuing to pour across Nashville, only worsening the flooding.
He told NBC5: ‘The area has received seven inches of rain already, and it is still coming down fast.
‘I am receiving conflicting reports. I am being told that the water is going through the emergency overflow.’
Meier confirmed that water has reached people’s homes, urging them to not try to walk and drive through floodwaters.
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