LAKE LURE, N.C. — Excessive rain has threatened a dam at Lake Lure, according to the National Weather Service.
At 11 a.m. Friday, Lake Lure officials told Rutherford County Emergency Management they expect water to start spilling over the Lake Lure Dam.
Because of that threat, a mandatory evacuation was enacted for residents in low-lying, flood-prone areas below the dam such as the Cleghorn, Union, Green Hill communities as well as Harris and Cliffside.
Residents were asked to immediately evacuate to the Rutherfordton Presbyterian Church at 2525 N. Washington St. in Rutherfordton, North Carolina, or RS Central High School at 641 US-221, Rutherfordton, North Carolina.
"Residents are urged to seek higher ground now and obey all evacuation orders from Rutherford County Emergency Management to protect your life and the lives of your family," the emergency alert for Rutherford County read.
As of 1:30 p.m., emergency workers said water is cresting the dam and flowing around the side walls.
"Structural supports have been compromised, but the dam wall is currently holding," Rutherford County Emergency Management said. "Evacuations have occurred from the dam to Island Creek Road. Evacuation sirens are sounding downstream of the dam."
Emergency management told WCNC Charlotte they are working to evacuate residents who are trapped in their homes due to downed trees in the area.
"Roads are hazardous with an insurmountable number of trees and electrical lines that are down," Rutherford County Emergency Management said.
A Flash Flood Emergency was issued for that area through 2:30 p.m. due to Tropical Storm Helene. The first downstream gauge at Cove Creek at Highway 64 surpassed its previous record around 1:30 p.m. It was measured at 23.68 feet and the record was 23 feet before. It's expecting to rise further from there.
Helene brought excessive rain, flash floods and damaging winds to the Carolinas early Friday morning after making landfall in Florida late Thursday night.
Lake Lure is in Rutherford County about two hours west of Charlotte, North Carolina.