Heavy rains and the failure of two mid-Michigan dams have caused widespread flooding and prompted the evacuation of thousands.
SANFORD, MI – MAY 20: Neil Hawk and his wife Dawn take a rowboat out to a residential part of Sanford to inspect the damage to their neighborhood following extreme flooding throughout central Michigan on May 20, 2020 in Sanford, Michigan. Thousands of residents have been ordered to evacuate after two dams in Sanford and Edenville collapsed causing floodwaters from the Tittabawassee River gushing into nearby communities. (Photo by Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images)
Thousands of people are being evacuated and much of the city of Midland is underwater a day after two dams in Midland County failed, allowing water from two Michigan lakes to flow into a Mid-Michigan river.
The Edenville Dam in northern Midland County failed Tuesday afternoon, allowing water from Sanford and Wixom lakes to overtake the structure and flow heavily into the Tittabawassee River.
According to reports from the Midland Daily News the Edenville Dam had a long history of neglect.
EDENVILLE, MI – MAY 20: Residents explore what remains of the West Curtis Road bridge which was swept away following extreme flooding throughout central Michigan on May 20, 2020 in Edenville, Michigan. Thousands of residents have been ordered to evacuate after two dams in Sanford and Edenville collapsed causing floodwaters from the Tittabawassee River gushing into nearby communities. (Photo by Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images)
In 2018, the dam owner’s license was revoked for “failure to increase the project’s spillway capacity to safely pass flood flows, as well as its failure to comply with its license” and regulations, the Daily News reported.
The Daily News cited a 2019 Associated Press article in reporting that the Edenville Dam was one of 1,600 across the state inspected and considered to pose risks. According to the Daily News article, the dam was classified as a “high hazard dam in an unsatisfactory condition,” meaning that if it were to fail, there would very likely be fatalities.
SANFORD, MICHIGAN – MAY 20: Main street is flooded after water from the Tittabawassee River breached a nearby dam on May 20, 2020 in Sanford, Michigan. Thousands of residents have been ordered to evacuate after two dams in Sanford and Edenville collapsed causing water from the Tittabawassee River to flood nearby communities. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
The dam had last been inspected on May 25, 2010.
My team is closely monitoring the flooding in Central Michigan – Stay SAFE and listen to local officials. Our brave First Responders are once again stepping up to serve their fellow citizens, THANK YOU!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 20, 2020
President Donald Trump took to Twitter Wednesday saying emergency relief would be coming to help those affected by the flooding in the form of FEMA and military support.
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