LYNCHBURG, Va. (AP) - The Latest on flooding in Lynchburg, Virginia (all times local):
3:45 p.m.
Officials in Virginia say a dam that overflowed Thursday is currently stable but are asking people who were evacuated to stay out of their homes until there’s dry weather.
City officials from Lynchburg said at a news conference Friday that engineers had found that College Lake Dam was not in danger of failing.
Heavy rains Thursday filled College Lake near Lynchburg beyond capacity, prompting officials to report that the lake’s dam was in danger of “imminent failure.”
The National Weather Service said a failure of the dam could flood parts of Lynchburg with 17 feet (5 meters) of water in just seven minutes.
Officials said 150 homes downstream from the dam were evacuated.
Weather forecasts for Lynchburg call for more rain through Saturday with sunny weather on Sunday.
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12:35 p.m.
The National Weather Service says a dam in Virginia could still fail and is extending a flash flood warning until this evening.
The service said the flash flood warning for Lynchburg was being extended until 6 p.m.
Six inches (15 centimeters) of rain fell within hours Thursday, 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 (5 meters) of water in just seven minutes.
Officials reported the dam’s “imminent failure” late Thursday and emergency personnel were still looking for signs of structural failure Friday. More than a 100 homes were evacuated.
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10:30 a.m.
People in Virginia who were evacuated after heavy rains led to an overflowing dam may not be able to return to their homes for another day.
Officials in Lynchburg said it could be at least 24 hours before people evacuated from more than 100 houses could return.
The National Weather Service said up to six inches (15 centimeters) of rain fell within hours Thursday, 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 (5 meters) of water in just seven minutes.
County officials reported the dam’s “imminent failure” late Thursday and were still looking for signs of structural failure early Friday. Local fire and police sent boats to rescue people to area shelters.
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6:35 a.m.
A deluge of rain in Virginia has prompted evacuations below an overflowing dam.
The National Weather Service said up to six inches (15 centimeters) 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 (5 meters) 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, threatening about 124 houses in the city of 80,000.
Local fire and police were sending boats to rescue people to area shelters. A flash flood watch was in effect until 11 a.m.
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