The Lake Lure dam in western North Carolina overtopped after Hurricane Helene, prompting evacuations amid fears of imminent failure. Nearby, the Walters Dam in Tennessee also raised concerns, forcing residents to evacuate. The high-hazard Lake Lure dam was eroding, and the town had been working to replace it. Southern Appalachia had been hit by extreme rainfall for days, with Lake Lure experiencing 8 to 16 inches. Confusion arose in Newport, Tennessee, over a false alarm about the Walters Dam’s failure. America’s aging dams, plagued by climate change and urbanization, are in need of restoration, with $157.5 billion estimated to bring them up to par. From 2013 to 2023, there were 283 dam failures in the U.S., with one leading to a fatality in Nebraska in 2019.
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Evacuations ordered in North Carolina due to risk of dam failure following heavy rainfall
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