NASHVILLE, Ill. — People in parts of Nashville, Illinois, were told to evacuate their homes by emergency personnel due to a dam failure in the area Tuesday morning.
The Washington County Emergency Management Agency posted a map highlighting the affected area, which included Nashville Grade School and Nashville High School. The agency said 299 phones were called to deliver the evacuation order, and about 200 homes were impacted.
Hundreds of residents were forced out of their homes in the affected downstream area due to flooding from the Nashville Reservoir Dam.
No serious injuries or deaths have been reported, and evacuation is complete, the emergency management agency said in an afternoon update. Several people in the area reported water in their homes, including a woman rescued from waist-deep water inside her home.
Some of the yards in residents' homes near the dam looked like lakes, including Lloyd Karmeier's home. His whole front yard was completely flooded.
"We got a warning that said the collapse of the dam, the breach of the dam was imminent. We don't worry here because we're so high up. But, we looked out the front door, and we saw water raging literally through the front yard, and we'd never seen that before," said the former Illinois Supreme Court Justice.
To Karmeier's surprise, that wasn't the only flood damage to his home.
5 On Your Side's Megan Kernan captured him and his wife's reaction seeing the end of their driveway ripped up and torn apart from the flood.
"That'll take more than me repairing it. That's never happened before. We've lived here since 1974, and we've never seen the water this high. This was like a raging river when we walked out this morning," said a shocked Karmeier.
"The immediate danger has been managed but here are still multiple road closures in the area and that includes I-64 between Ashley and Nashville," the agency said.
The Illinois Department of National Resources' Office of Water Resources told 5 On Your Side that the secondary dam failed, but it was designed to fail with high water levels. The primary dam did not fail but was overtopped by rising waters, the office's director said.
Alex Haglund, a spokesperson from the emergency management agency, said all major routes through the area are closed. People outside the area highlighted on the map are asked to remain in their homes and stay off the roads as much as possible. Anyone driving in the area should not drive through standing water.
Joe Monroe with the Illinois Department of Transportation said Illinois Routes 127, 15 and 177 are all closed.
"If you can avoid traveling in that area, it would certainly help the first responders," Monroe said. "We are actually moving back where we are closing everything where we give the evacuation time to move forward."
Monroe said IDOT is working with both the city and the county to provide support and keep the area as clear as possible for evacuation teams.
He encouraged said Nashville Creek had started overtopping Illinois Route 127 as well.
The St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency provided a map that will be updated as more road condition changes are provided.
The Washington County EMA says There is a shelter available for displaced residents at Trinity Lutheran Church in Nashville.
David Benning, a pastor at that church, said they've been busy keeping residents safe and dry.
"They were told to evacuate from the zone in front of the dam that has been compromised. We're one of three possible sites to shelter, and the other two are dealing with flooding, so we're the only dry one. We have about 10 people here from the community who are in need of a place to shelter from the flooding," Benning said.
Emergency agencies around the area were called in to help with the evacuation operation, including St. Clair County Special Emergency Services, St. Clair County EMA and fire departments from Freeburg, New Athens, Marissa, Smithton and St. Libory.
The emergency management agency said a shelter is being set up at 680 W Walnut St. in Nashville. The Red Cross has been activated to assist.
The Red Cross shared the following statement:
"The Red Cross was alerted of primary and secondary dam failures in Nashville IL this morning, leading to an evacuation notice for approximately 200 residents of the town. Heavy rains and flooding in the area has not only led to this evacuation notice, but also has led to the closure and eventual closure of nearly all major roads around Nashville at this time, making travel in and out of the area incredibly difficult.
"Working with community partners, such as the Washington County Emergency Management Agency and the Trinity Lutheran Church, a shelter is being set up for those impacted by the flooding. Red Cross volunteers are supporting the shelter, located at 680 W. Walnut St., while additional volunteers are currently awaiting safe entry into Nashville. Red Cross disaster volunteers and our partners are working to make sure people have a safe place to stay, food, relief supplies as well as emotional and spiritual support.
"During flooding, the Red Cross reminds everyone to understand the dangers they may face in order to keep you and your loved ones safe. Avoid fallen power lines, poles, and wires; watch out for falling trees and other debris and turn around, don't drown. Never walk, swim, or drive through floodwater. Just 6 inches of fast-moving floodwater can knock you over and 12 inches can carry your vehicle away.
"If you or someone you know has been impacted by this flooding and has been evacuated, please call 1-800-RED-CROSS or visit redcross.org for more information."
Residents in the area are asked to report any flooded roads by calling the Washington County Sheriff's Office at 618-327-8274 ext. 4.
The Nashville City Reservoir Dam is 740 feet long and 26 feet tall, according to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.
The secondary reservoir dam was breached in June of 2022. Monroe said the current situation is "much worse" because of the ongoing rainfall.
The St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency director said the department was conducting multiple water rescues in St. Clair County as of 11 a.m.
The announcement comes during a morning of heavy rain in parts of the St. Louis area. 5 On Your Side Meteorologist Anthony Slaughter said the heaviest rain fell in the Metro East, including nearly three inches of rain in Salem Illinois.
