Officials in McDowell County, North Carolina, are warning residents to “act now to preserve your life” as landslides and floodwaters threaten the Lake Tahoma dam.
The cities of Marion and Old Fort – which have populations of 7,800 and 900, respectively, according to NBC News — and others living below Lake Tahoma are undergoing mandatory evacuations following heavy rainfall of four to six inches over 24 hours, according to the National Weather Service.
A resulting landslide has “compromised the integrity” of the Lake Tahoma dam, the agency said early Wednesday morning.
Tahoma Dam Getty
The NWS reported that floodwaters “have reached levels not seen since the September 2004 floods associated with Hurricanes Frances and Ivan.”
MCDOWELL COUNTY UPDATE: A landslide has comprised the integrity of Lake Tahoma Dam. MANDATORY EVACUATIONS underway from the Dam at Lake Shore Dr to Lake Tahoma Rd (NC 80) to the confluence of the Catawba River near Resistoflex Rd and Riverside Park. ACT NOW TO PRESERVE YOUR LIFE! — NWS GSP (@NWSGSP) May 30, 2018
McDowell county emergency management reports water is spilling around the sides of Lake Tahoma dam. Evacuations ongoing south of the dam. THIS IS A LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION. HEED ALL EVACUATION ORDERS IMMEDIATELY! If you are not threatened by floodwaters, shelter in place. — NWS GSP (@NWSGSP) May 30, 2018
Tweets by the NWS warn “ACT NOW TO PRESERVE YOUR LIFE!” and “THIS IS A LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION. HEED ALL EVACUATION ORDERS IMMEDIATELY!”
Those not threatened by floodwaters are instructed to shelter in place and not travel unless they are following evacuation orders.
Shelters for evacuees have been opened at the YMCA in Marion, the Glenwood Baptist Church and Old Fort Baptist Church, according to Weather.com.
0 Officials: Lake Tahoma dam 'not compromised'; residents allowed home
MCDOWELL COUNTY, N.C. - Channel 9 has learned that residents have been told they can return to their homes hours after a Flash Flood Emergency was declared for areas downstream of Lake Tahoma in McDowell County because of the "imminent failure" of the lake's dam due to heavy rainfall associated with Alberto.
[TRACKING: Alberto dumps heavy rain, prompts warnings across Carolinas]
The National Weather Service issued a Flood Warning for McDowell, Burke and Caldwell counties until 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.
At 12:26 a.m. Wednesday, McDowell County Emergency Management reported the Lake Tahoma Dam was in imminent danger of failing after a landslide "compromised" its structural "integrity."
MCDOWELL COUNTY UPDATE: A landslide has comprised the integrity of Lake Tahoma Dam. MANDATORY EVACUATIONS underway from the Dam at Lake Shore Dr to Lake Tahoma Rd (NC 80) to the confluence of the Catawba River near Resistoflex Rd and Riverside Park. ACT NOW TO PRESERVE YOUR LIFE! — NWS GSP (@NWSGSP) May 30, 2018
A mandatory evacuation was ordered for all residents living below Lake Tahoma.
That included:
Lake Tahoma Road from Lake Tahoma south to U.S. 70 West
Tom Johnson Camping Center
Old Greenlee Road from Crane Resistoflex Road to Water Filter Plant
U.S. 70 West from PG Fire Department to North Main Street
All residences along the Catawba River from Tom Johnson to Lake James. This includes developments that border the Catawba River in the Hankins community.
All locations along U.S. 221 Business
Burnettes Landing
Lake James Landing
Tom Creek Road from N.C. 80 to Morgan Lake Road
McDowell county emergency management reports water is spilling around the sides of Lake Tahoma dam. Evacuations ongoing south of the dam. THIS IS A LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION. HEED ALL EVACUATION ORDERS IMMEDIATELY! If you are not threatened by floodwaters, shelter in place. — NWS GSP (@NWSGSP) May 30, 2018
McDowell County Emergency Management confirmed 200 people from campgrounds and residential communities near the dam and lake were at shelters overnight.
Around 10 a.m., officials said they were closing those shelters and that residents could return home. Engineers deemed the dam safe and the mandatory evacuation order was canceled.
Breaking Marion- learning the dam was never compromised. They’re letting the residents go home. Shutting down shelter in town. — Dave Faherty (@FahertyWSOC9) May 30, 2018
Old Fort and Marion were the hardest-hit communities overnight.
Emergency management officials said there had been several landslides in the county overnight as well as moderate flooding in western and central communities.
Four swift water rescues were carried out overnight.
Two NCDOT workers were rescued after the tandem dump truck they were using to help clear a mudslide was pushed off a road by another slide and into the Catawba River. They climbed out through a passenger window and stood on the side of the truck in the water until emergency crews got them to safety.
Gov. Roy Cooper has declared a State of Emergency for western counties affected by the flooding and landslides.
"Our emergency response and transportation crews have been working through the night to keep North Carolinians safe as conditions deteriorate," Cooper said. "But this storm isn't yet over. I'm urging people to keep a close eye on forecasts and flood watches, and asking drivers to use caution especially when traveling in our western counties."
Early Wednesday morning, the Charlotte Fire Department sent a 16-person water rescue team to McDowell County. That personnel is trained in boat operations and technical water rescue.
CFD has deployed a 16-person water rescue team to the western part of NC to assist in response to heavy rains and flooding. pic.twitter.com/e08xi7JZqk — Charlotte Fire Dept (@CharlotteFD) May 30, 2018
According to the National Weather Service, floodwaters have reached levels not seen since the floods of September 2004 following Hurricanes Frances and Ivan.
The Class 1 Emergency at Lake Tahoma will continue until inspectors evaluate the dam during daylight hours. Lake Tahoma is a private lake in the mountains.
Officials announced Wednesday morning that all McDowell County schools would be closed due to the flooding.
MCS NOW CLOSED due to FLOOD EMERGENCY, Wednesday, May 30 - McDowell County Schools now CLOSED for students and staff due to a flood emergency with several area roads impacted & dangerous travel conditions. Stay safe! #mcdowellcounty https://t.co/sWXWm2vmcP pic.twitter.com/pqcq4dx1qX — McDowell High School (@MHSTitans) May 30, 2018
In Asheville, numerous streets were flooded, particularly in Biltmore VIllage.
[CLICK HERE for Asheville flood updates]
Sweeten Creek Rd at Reed St in Biltmore Village this morning. City of #Asheville Public Works crews are monitoring flooded streets and putting up barricades. https://t.co/qN2J00Dn6a #AvlNews Turn around, don't drown. pic.twitter.com/itA5QZoM6l — City of Asheville (@CityofAsheville) May 30, 2018
In Marion, Channel 9 reporter Dave Faherty spotted campers flooded along the Catawba River. People scrambled to get out of them overnight.
Breaking Marion- more damage to campers as the river is still rising. No one can get in to this area. pic.twitter.com/cs0T4ysCkk — Dave Faherty (@FahertyWSOC9) May 30, 2018
No injuries were reported.
I-40 reopens following mudslide
Earlier Tuesday evening, a mudslide in Old Fort forced the shutdown of a portion of Interstate 40. Later, the North Carolina Department of Transportation said the lanes were reopened before 5 a.m.
The interstate had been closed in both directions between Exit 66 and Exit 72 due to a mudslide.
Officials said some of the vehicles on the roadway were trapped after the slide occurred. All of the occupants were able to get out and no injuries were reported.
In Rutherford County, a State of Emergency is in place for communities along Lake Lure and the Broad River.
River levels rose over seven and a half feet, and the town of Lake Lure has repeatedly opened the floodgates to release some of that water.
Campgrounds in the area have been evacuated and residents living along the river have been told to get to higher ground.
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Lake Tahoma Dam near Marion, N.C. (iStock)
Remnants of subtropical storm Alberto prompted mandatory evacuations in western North Carolina as officials determined that a dam there was “risk of imminent failure.”
Torrential rain, flash floods and landslides ripped through the region Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning. One landslide compromised the integrity of Lake Tahoma Dam, prompting mandatory evacuations for residents and businesses.
The dam, located at a private lake in the mountains about an hour outside Asheville, reached “Level 1” of emergency categories, McDowell County Emergency Management officials said — meaning the dam had failed, was failing, or was about to fail, according to federal guidelines.
Just after midnight, the National Weather Service said water was spilling around the edges of the dam.
“MANDATORY EVACUATIONS underway,” the NWS said. “ACT NOW TO PRESERVE YOUR LIFE!”
[The government was warned that the Oroville Dam emergency spillway was unsafe. It didn’t listen.]
By 10 a.m. Wednesday, McDowell County officials announced that an engineer had inspected the dam and deemed it to be safe, and said people could return to their homes.
Rain, flooding and landslides crippled freeways overnight in several counties in the western part of the state as Alberto dumped a few more inches of rain — up to six in some places — in already saturated areas across the southern Appalachians.
In hard-hit McDowell, county services have been stretched to their limit as large teams of emergency personnel worked overnight, conducting evacuations and water rescues, officials said.
“This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. SEEK HIGHER GROUND NOW!” McDowell County Emergency Management said in flood warnings Tuesday and Wednesday.
Residents were urged to avoid traveling unless they needed to escape from floodwaters.
“Most flood deaths occur in vehicles,” officials warned. “Do not attempt to cross water-covered roadways, bridges, or low-level crossings. Only a few inches of rapidly flowing water can carry away your vehicle. It is not worth the risk. Please TURN AROUND, DON’T DROWN.”
In scenic Asheville, about 40 miles from Lake Tahoma, runoff from heavy rain has caused Swannanoa River to rise above flood stage, which is about 10 feet, city officials said. Police have shut down parts of the city’s Biltmore Village, an art, shopping and dining district, as floodwaters continued to rise Wednesday.
#Breaking #Update #JustIn @AshevillePolice are shutting down portions of Biltmore Avenue in Biltmore Village. They’re warning everyone to stay away from this area as floodwaters continue to rise. @WLOS_13 pic.twitter.com/XJ8KPsD0kL — Karen Zatkulak (@WLOSKaren) May 30, 2018
Alberto made landfall along the Florida Panhandle late Monday afternoon with winds of up to 65 mph. The storm ripped through Southeastern United States, causing thousands of power outages in Alabama and killing two journalists in South Carolina
News anchor Michael McCormick and photojournalist Aaron Smeltzer, of NBC’s Greenville affiliate WYFF, were killed Monday while covering the storm. The two were traveling on Highway 176 in Polk County, N.C., about 30 miles from Greenville, when a tree fell on their news vehicle, officials said. Tryon (N.C.) Fire Chief Geoffrey Tennant said the vehicle was in motion when the tree fell, and the transmission was still running when emergency crews arrived.
“Mike and Aaron were stellar journalists, dedicated to covering news in this market,” John Humphries, WYFF president and general manager, said in a statement. “They were beloved members of our newsroom and we will miss them tremendously. Today is a difficult day, and there will be many more ahead.”
Next to the white box is a small white car. You can barely see it above all the water. This is on Roby Conley Road in Marion. @wcnc pic.twitter.com/iiqICkWrHi — Ariel Plasencia (@ariel_plasencia) May 30, 2018
Meagan Flynn contributed to this article.
Read more:
Two journalists covering storm die after tree falls on their vehicle in North Carolina
188,000 evacuated as California’s massive Oroville Dam threatens catastrophic floods
The stunning destruction at Oroville Dam and the work ahead
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Thousands of people were being evacuated early Wednesday after a landslide caused by heavy rains raised fears about the integrity of a dam in North Carolina, officials said.
Residents living below Lake Tahoma were ordered to leave after the dam was inspected by an engineer.
MCDOWELL COUNTY UPDATE: A landslide has comprised the integrity of Lake Tahoma Dam. MANDATORY EVACUATIONS underway from the Dam at Lake Shore Dr to Lake Tahoma Rd (NC 80) to the confluence of the Catawba River near Resistoflex Rd and Riverside Park. ACT NOW TO PRESERVE YOUR LIFE! — NWS GSP (@NWSGSP) May 30, 2018
The National Weather Service said a flash flood emergency was in place for McDowell County, which includes the city of Marion, home to around 7,800 people, and Old Fort, population 900. Authorities urged residents to seek higher ground immediately.
Lake Tahoma is about five miles northwest of Marion, which is about 36 miles east of Asheville.
The flash flood emergency was scheduled to remain in place until 10:30 a.m. ET.
As of 4:15 a.m. ET, officials in McDowell County continued to report "widespread flooding due to heavy rainfall of 4-6 inches over the past 24 hours," the NWS said. "This is causing significant and life-threatening flooding county wide."
Residents living below Lake Tahoma in North Carolina were ordered to evacuate. Bing Maps
It added: "Floodwaters have reached levels not seen since the September 2004 floods associated with Hurricanes Frances and Ivan. Numerous evacuations of residences, businesses, and campgrounds, road closures, water rescues, and landslides are ongoing."
McDowell County officials said at 6:11 a.m. ET that the risk of imminent failure remained at Lake Tahoma Dam and that the evacuations would continue until engineers could thoroughly inspect the dam during daylight hours.
William Kehler, McDowell County's emergency services director, told NBC News that "several thousand" people lived in the mandatory evacuation zone. As of 3:20 a.m. ET, no injuries or fatalities had been reported.
McDowell county emergency management reports water is spilling around the sides of Lake Tahoma dam. Evacuations ongoing south of the dam. THIS IS A LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION. HEED ALL EVACUATION ORDERS IMMEDIATELY! If you are not threatened by floodwaters, shelter in place. — NWS GSP (@NWSGSP) May 30, 2018
The rain is part of the soggy remnants of Alberto, the first named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.
Flash flood watches were in effect early Wednesday for parts of several states from Alabama through Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, the Carolinas and Virginia and West Virginia.
A mudslide shut down three lanes of traffic on I-40 in North Carolina overnight. WCNC
A television news anchor and a photojournalist were killed Monday while covering the weather, when a tree became uprooted from rain-soaked ground and toppled onto their SUV in North Carolina.
NBC affiliate WYFF of Greenville, South Carolina, said news anchor Mike McCormick and photojournalist Aaron Smeltzer were killed.
