Imminent flooding threats from a dam in Lynchburg, Virginia, have prompted evacuations from people around the local area.
The College Lake Dam could be about to fail and evacuations in Lynchburg have started to prepare residents for potential foods.
As Lynchburg is under threat from severe weather, the dam is under constant supervision from local authorities.
The National Weather Service has confirmed that the dam has not yet failed but necessary precautions are being taken just in case.
How deep could Lynchburg flooding be?
The town of Lynchburg is small and currently home to just over 80,000 residents.
If it was to flood, Lynchburg would see devastating floods roll in at record times.
Current estimations state that 17 feet of water could surge forward in just seven minutes.
This means that a wall of water over five metres tall could hit Lynchburg, half the height of a telephone pole.
The US National Weather Service recorded a massive four to six inches of rain on Thursday, which has already filled the dam to capacity.
Overflows of 12 to 18 inches of water are now coursing down Lakeside Drive into Blackwater Creek.
The area is also under a flash flood warning, and local fire and police were preparing with boats to rescue people.
Those rescued are being taken to refuge centres such as the E. C. Glass High school auditorium.
How much damage could be caused in Lynchburg?
Situated near the University of Lynchburg on the Lakeside Drive/US-221 South Highway, the dam could cause a lot of damage.
The amount of people in the local town number 80,000, but a fairly negligible number of properties could be affected.
It is thought that a total of 180 homes are at risk from the potential flooding.
A Lynchburg Department of Emergency Services spokeswoman told WDBJ news that emergency services are working with a list of 124 residences that need to be evacuated.
The currently at risk Blackwater Creek plays host to a number of residences, but authorities are not sure if they are all inhabited.
Nearby University of Lynchburg has not decided to evacuate as it sits downstream of the dam.
Rain is predicted for the rest of the day in Lynchburg, so only time will tell how the dam is able to cope.