EMERGENCY ALERT #OROVILLESPILLWAY at the #OROVILLEDAM, Butte County, CA is in imminent danger of collapse and evacuations are in progress.
“Immediate evacuation from the low levels of Oroville and areas downstream is ordered. This is NOT A Drill. This is NOT A Drill. This in NOT A Drill,” - Butte County Sheriff
Tens of thousands of people have been fleeing California towns downstream from the Oroville Dam after fears of an imminent collapse of its spillway prompted an evacuation order. Authorities are seeking to stem the breach with the help of helicopters.
Earlier today, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services activated the State Operations Center in Sacramento in support of the Oroville Dam auxiliary spillway incident. The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and the incident command team managing Lake Oroville, counties and cities near Lake Oroville and the surrounding area issued evacuation orders for residents late Sunday afternoon.
Oroville Dam Evacuation Order
UPDATES:
02/14/17 13:00: EVACUATIONS DOWNGRADED FROM MANDATORY TO ADVISORY - Water is flowing at 100,000 cfps and will continue for foreseeable future or until pressure is sufficiently reduced on the auxillary spillway.
02/13/17 13:00: Water is being released at approximately 100,000 cfs. As you can see, lake level is now around 6 feet below the top of the Emergency spillway.The evacuation of residents in Oroville and surrounding communities in the shadow of the nation’s tallest dam was issued around 4:30 p.m., with California Department of Water Resources officials saying floodwaters could arrive within the hour. By 8 p.m., the crisis had eased, as the water level of Lake Oroville, the state’s second-largest reservoir, had fallen to the point — roughly 900 feet — that no water was passing over the imperiled auxiliary spillway.
02/13/17 2:00: Video: https://www.facebook.com/CaliforniaOES/videos/1242151239174199/
02/12/17 22:00: Flows over the auxiliary spillway have ceased. 100,000 cfs continue down the main spillway.
Flows over the auxiliary spillway have ceased. 100,000 cfs continue down the main spillway. @ButteSheriff
— CA - DWR (@CA_DWR) February 13, 2017
02/12/17 20:00: OROVILLE DAM IS BREACHED
ANYONE DOWNSTREAM EVACUATE NOW!
Prepare your bug-out bag, children, and pets now if waiting for further instructions downstream.
Shelters in Paradise consolidated. Elks Lodge and Veterans Memorial Hall now CLOSED. Paradise Alliance Church, 6491 Clark Rd. is OPEN.
Tim Taylor has called closure of all schools tomorrow except Chico Unified and Paradise Unified.
02/12/17 16:20: This is an Evacuation Order.
Immediate evacuation from the low levels of Oroville and areas downstream is ordered.
A hazardous situation is developing with the Oroville Dam auxiliary spillway. Operation of the auxiliary spillway has lead to severe erosion that could lead to a failure of the structure. Failure of the auxiliary spillway structure will result in an uncontrolled release of flood waters from Lake Oroville.
In response to this developing situation, DWR is increasing water releases to 100,000 cubic feet per second.
Immediate evacuation from the low levels of Oroville and areas downstream is ordered.
This in NOT A Drill. This in NOT A Drill. This in NOT A Drill.
EMERGENCY ALERT #OROVILLESPILLWAY at the #OROVILLEDAM, Butte County, CA
Butte County Scanner link:
http://www.broadcastify.com/listen/feed/1929/web
Video:
#OrovilleSpillway evacuation orders issued in Butte, Yuba, Sutter counties; no significant impact expected in Yolo, Sacramento, Placer.
Butte County Oroville Dam Flood Plain
Residents evacuating Oroville can bring small animals to the shelter at the Silver @SilverFair
Nevada County Fairgrounds is open as an evacuation shelter. Accepting animals and RVs. The Public Information Line for the Oroville Spillway is currently down while call takers evacuate. Line will be back up shortly.
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