Thousands Evacuated as Authorities Work to Prevent Oroville Dam Collapse
- 7 years ago
Thousands of people were evacuated in Oroville, California on Sunday, due to a risky situation caused by a severe erosion of one of the Oroville Dam’s emergency spillways. The city of about 15,000 people, which is about 70 miles north of Sacramento, is considered at extreme risk of flooding. According to authorities, rapid erosion of the structure may cause the dam to collapse, which could result uncontrolled flood waters rushing down from Lake Oroville.
The Californian Department of Water Resources has been reportedly unleashing up to 100,000 cubic feet per second from the heavily damaged spillway in a bid to drain Oroville lake. The evacuation order has been expanded to Butte and Yuba Counties, which are located downstream from California’s second largest water reservoir. Up to 188,000 people are affected by the evacuation order.
The Californian Department of Water Resources has been reportedly unleashing up to 100,000 cubic feet per second from the heavily damaged spillway in a bid to drain Oroville lake. The evacuation order has been expanded to Butte and Yuba Counties, which are located downstream from California’s second largest water reservoir. Up to 188,000 people are affected by the evacuation order.