News / Society

White House says Trump keeping close eye on California dam

Wednesday, 15 February 2017 1:37 AM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 15 February 2017 1:37 AM ]

The Oroville Dam spillway releases 100,000 cubic feet of water per second down the main spillway in Oroville, California on February 13, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

The White House says US President Donald Trump is “keeping a close eye” on the crisis at California’s dam, as nearly 200,000 people have been evacuated over the past days due to a threat from the tallest dam in the country.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer made the comments on Tuesday, adding that, the administration would "make sure we are doing everything we can to attend to this matter."

Spicer said the crisis was proof that the United States needed to overhaul its infrastructure, a measure that is considered to be one of Trump's key domestic goals.

“Dams, bridges, roads and all ports around the country have fallen into disrepair. In order to prevent the next disaster, we’ll pursue the president’s vision for an overhaul of our nation’s crumbling infrastructure,” the spokesman said.

Crews work on a damaged section of the Oroville Dam in Oroville, California, on February 13, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

The evacuation order was issued on Sunday night out of fear for a catastrophic flood following damage to the emergency spillway at California’s Lake Oroville Dam.

Butte County Sheriff's Office announced at the time that the spillway - used to alleviate pressure on the dam - had been severely corroded and could fail imminently and unleash flood waters.

A large section of concrete at the bottom of the dam’s main spillway had already collapsed by the day, sending large chunks of concrete downstream.

A home is seen marooned as the surrounding property is submerged in flood water in Oroville, California, on February 13, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

Meanwhile, reports have emerged that more than a decade ago, local government officials in the US and environmental activists had warned about the risk of flooding below a major Northern California dam.