Michigan Dam Failures Leave Marina Dry, Wash Out Bridge

Storyful
4 年前

Roads and bridges across Midland County, Michigan, were severely damaged on Tuesday, May 20, after floodwaters unleashed by two dam failures inundated the area, local news reported.

Brendan Gutenschwager captured footage of the Wixom Lake bed in Beaverton. The lake was drained after the collapse of the Edenville Dam. Damage to a lake marina can also be seen in the video.

The second clip shows damage caused to the M-30 Highway and a bridge over the Tittabawassee River in Edenville. “An entire part of the road collapsed altogether,” Gutenschwager can be heard saying in the video.

The National Weather Service said the area was hit with “extremely dangerous” flooding after the failures of the Edenville and Sanford dams.

Michigan Gov Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency for Midland County on Tuesday and encouraged residents to evacuate their homes or relocate to local shelters. Mass evacuations also took place across the county, including in the towns of Edenville and Sanford.

Approximately 10,000 people were forced to leave the area due to rising water, according to local media. No deaths have been reported. Credit: Brendan Gutenschwager via Storyful