Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued an emergency declaration after the Edenville Dam and Sanford dams failed in Midland County, forcing thousands of residents to immediately evacuate their homes on Tuesday.
Downtown Midland could be under 9 feet of water by Wednesday morning, Gov. Whitmer said during a press conference on Tuesday night following the two collapses. A flash flood emergency is in effect for the areas downstream, which includes Midland City and Freeland, Michigan.
The situation was deemed catastrophic by the National Weather Service (NWS) on Wednesday morning.
“Extremely dangerous flooding is ongoing along the Tittabawassee River in Midland County due to catastrophic failures at the Edenville and Sanford dams,” the NWS wrote. “A Flood Warning is in effect, and anyone near the river should seek higher ground immediately, avoid driving into flood waters, and continue to heed evacuation orders given by local authorities. Life-threatening flooding continues today.”
The Edenville Dam is located about 30 miles inland from the Saginaw Bay of Lake Huron. Over 80,000 people live in Midland County. – READ MORE
Listen to the insightful Thomas Paine Podcast Below --