NASHVILLE, Ill. — Residents of Nashville, Illinois, awoke in alarm Tuesday morning, July 16, 2024, as the Washington County Emergency Management Agency issued an urgent evacuation order following a dam failure. The agency's alert, disseminated at around 9:30 a.m., urged residents within a designated area to evacuate immediately, stating, "Please evacuate your home at this time if you are in the grey box, you need to evacuate now!"
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The affected area included Nashville Grade School and Nashville High School. The agency reported that 299 phones received the evacuation order. Emergency personnel responded to a distress call from a woman trapped in her home in waist-deep water. As of now, no injuries have been reported.
Alex Haglund, a spokesperson for the emergency management agency, confirmed at 9:45 a.m. on Tuesday that a secondary dam had also failed. At 11 a.m., the St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency was conducting multiple water rescues.
Haglund noted that one person was trapped in their home and that all major routes through the area were closed. The emergency management agency advised residents outside the evacuation zone to stay off the roads and avoid driving through standing water.
Joe Monroe of the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) reported the closure of Illinois Routes 127, 15, and 177.
"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 to give the evacuation time to move forward."
Monroe added that IDOT is collaborating with both city and county authorities to support evacuation efforts and keep the area clear for emergency teams. He also mentioned that Nashville Creek had begun overtopping Illinois Route 127.
The St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency is updating a map to reflect changing road conditions. Emergency agencies from surrounding areas, including St. Clair County Special Emergency Services and fire departments from Freeburg, New Athens, Marissa, Smithton, and St. Libory, have been mobilized to assist with the evacuation.
A shelter has been established at 680 W Walnut St. in Nashville, with the Red Cross activated to provide assistance. Residents are urged to report any flooded roads to the Washington County Sheriff's Office at 618-327-8274 ext. 4.
According to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, the Nashville City Reservoir Dam is 740 feet long and 26 feet tall. The secondary reservoir dam previously breached in June 2022. Monroe described the current situation as "much worse" due to ongoing rainfall.
The announcement comes amid heavy rain in parts of the St. Louis area. Salem, Illinois, reported almost three inches of rain that contributed to the danger of the situation.
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