Engineers are closely watching a dam in eastern Mississippi Wednesday over concerns that it could fail, as recent rains are posing flooding threats around the South and Midwest.
The Oktibbeha County Lake Dam, just northwest of Starkville, appeared in danger of failing Tuesday morning, officials said.
Luckily, it had stopped raining in the evening and no further signs of failure were seen, county emergency management director Kristen Campanella told CNN affiliate WCBI. But more rain is expected Wednesday afternoon, and officials will continue inspecting the dam, WCBI reported.
Campanella said that every time it rains, officials monitor the dam, which needs repairs that the county has not been able to secure funds for over the past several years.
Flooding Along the Mississippi and Pearl Rivers
Extensive rainfall has caused flooding around rivers in the South and Midwest, prompting flood warnings for more than 2 million people in states including Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama.In Mississippi, up to 1 inch of more rain is possible from Wednesday afternoon to Thursday morning, raising the possibility of flash flooding especially north of Interstate 20, the National Weather Service in Jackson said.
In Jackson, the swollen Pearl River overflowed into some city streets Tuesday.
Ankle-deep water flowed into a QuikStop convenience store off Jackson Street, video from CNN affiliate WAPT showed.
Further west, the Mississippi River will likely flood over the next few days.