Whilst much of the US is facing the worst drought in 50 years, another part is suffering the effects of too much water.
Torrential rains caused by Hurricane Isaac have swollen Lake Tangipahoa in Mississippi to such an extent that the dam which forms one side of the lake is under threat of collapse.
The lake is on the border of Louisiana, just north of the town of Kentwood. State officials had been planning to carry out repairs to the dam this winter, and now fear that the excess water being held in the reservoir could lead to its imminent collapse.
About 60,000 residents living downstream of the dam, along the Tangipahoa River have been ordered to evacuate, and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has said that if the dam were to break it may could potentially flood Kentwood with 17 feet of water in an hour and a half.
Officials have been considering breaching one side of the dam so that the water from the 450 acre lake can be released in a more controlled manner into a forested area.
By. James Burgess of Oilprice.com
James Burgess studied Business Management at the University of Nottingham. He has worked in property development, chartered surveying, marketing, law, and accounts. He has also… More