LAKE LURE, N.C. – Authorities are conducting door-to-door evacuations for residents living below the dam of a well-known lake in the western North Carolina mountains, as warnings emerge that the dam may be at risk of imminent failure.
The torrential rainfall from what was once Hurricane Helene has caused severe flooding across a swath of the Southeast, stretching from Florida to North Carolina, as the storm progresses inland.
Rutherford County Emergency Management officials urgently alerted residents near Lake Lure through a Facebook post on Friday. They emphasized, “Residents below the Lake Lure Dam need to evacuate to higher ground immediately!! Dam failure imminent!! Evacuate to higher ground immediately!!”
By Friday afternoon, officials clarified that while the dam’s structure is currently intact, floodwaters from the overflowing Broad River are encroaching the dam, leading to concerns about the integrity of its support system.
“Evacuation sirens are sounding downstream of the Dam,” the post continued. “Emergency personnel are collaborating with structural engineers and going house to house to ensure the safety of all residents.”
The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Emergency for areas located downstream from the dam, including River Creek Campground, Green Hill, Cleghorn, and Union. They cautioned, “Move to higher ground now! This is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation. Do not attempt to travel unless you are fleeing an area subject to flooding or under an evacuation order.”
A shelter has been established in a high school and a church in Rutherfordton, located about 20 miles southeast of Lake Lure. Western North Carolina is currently facing a high risk of flooding, with projections of up to 20 inches of rainfall in certain areas before Helene departs this weekend.