Flash Flood Warning in Effect Over Parts of Tennessee Until June 10 as Potential Dam, Levee Failure Seen by Experts

According to experts, flash floods could happen at any time between now and June 10 due to warning indicators of an imminent dam or levee failure, triggering a Flash Flood Warning from the National Weather Service.

Flash Flood Warning

At the Arkabutla Dam on the Coldwater River, flash flooding due to a possible dam or levee failure is still a possibility.

The counties of Coahoma, Panola, DeSoto, Quitman, Tallahatchie, as well as Tate, and Tunica, are included in the warning's coverage of a region of North Mississippi.

The alert will continue to be in effect until Saturday, June 10.

Low-lying communities below the dam may experience rapid flooding in the event of a dam failure.

Experts in dam safety from the state and local emergency services are keeping an eye on the dam and will make a public announcement as soon as the situation calls for it. Locals are being advised by officials to make plans now so they will be prepared for emergencies. The best way to stay informed is to pay attention to local radio and television for announcements and potential warnings, and to heed public safety experts' advice, The Weather Channel reports.

Dam/Levee Failure

Levee breaches or dam failures can happen suddenly. For sites upstream, severe storms might cause a flood in a matter of hours or even minutes. A dam may fail within hours after the first indications of breaching, and flash floods often occur six hours from the start of heavy rain. Due to debris clogs or the buildup of melting snow, other breakdowns and breaches may take days to weeks to manifest, according to the Tennesee Department of Military.

According to the National Weather Service, every month of the year, flooding poses a hazard to the United States and its territories from coast to coast. Flooding often happens when heavy rain falls for an extended over a short period of time, or when a river or stream overflows due to an ice or debris trap.

Flooding can also happen when a levee or other water-controlling structure, like a dam, fails. Flooding is most frequently caused by water from rain and/or snowmelt that builds up faster than soils can absorb it or rivers can remove it. The majority of presidential disaster declarations-roughly 75%-are related to flooding.

Also Read: Severe Weather from Cold Front Puts South US at Risk of Tornadoes, Damaging Winds, Hail

Pointers Before, During, After Dam or Levee Failure

The Tennessee Department of Military says that before the levee failure, locals must make sure they are away from such events so that they can evacuate or move to higher ground without any notice from the government. If they do get a notice, they should not delay evacuation, remembering to turn off any electrical equipment before leaving.

During such an event, the department reminds the public to be mindful and avoid walking in or driving through the waters. It is best to abandon vehicles and seek higher grounds, especially when flood waters are rising around the vehicle.

The aftermath of a levee failure could still leave contaminated floodwaters, which the Tennessee Department of Military advises to avoid at all costs, especially since there is a possibility of downed power lines.

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