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By Anna Skinner
Associate News Editor
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The National Weather Service (NWS) office in Shreveport, Louisiana, issued an urgent warning on Monday morning telling some people to "move to higher ground immediately" after an Arkansas levee failure on the McKinney Bayou prompted a flash flooding emergency.
The Context
The levee failure occurred in the McKinney Bayou near the intersection of Highway 196 and Miller County Road 61, prompting flash flooding of the surrounding areas. Impacted areas include north central Lafayette County and east central Miller County located in southwestern Arkansas.
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"If you are in low lying areas along the McKinney Bayou Levee you should move to higher ground immediately," the flash flood warning said. "Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles."
What to Know
According to the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), a levee is "a man-made structure, usually an earthen embankment, designed and constructed in accordance with sound engineering practices to contain, control, or divert the flow of water so as to reduce risk from temporary flooding."
The levee failure came after days of torrential rainfall that accompanied an atmospheric river that pummeled parts of the Midwest and U.S. South last week and into the weekend.
Atmospheric rivers are "long, narrow region in the atmosphere—like rivers in the sky—that transport most of the water vapor outside of the tropics," according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The storms have killed at least 18 people, according to the Associated Press, and flood warnings and other flood-related weather alerts remain in place across several states as of Monday afternoon.
The flash flood warning in Arkansas was reported by emergency management. It is expected to remain in place until 12 p.m. Central time. It was issued at around 9:45 a.m. Central time.
Jay Townsend, the chief of public affairs for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Little Rock, Arkansas, division told Newsweek on Monday morning that no dams under the USACE's control were at risk of breaking.
What People Are Saying
NWS Shreveport in a flash flood warning: "Please report observed flooding to local emergency services or law enforcement and request they pass this information to the National Weather Service when you can do so safely."
What Happens Next
Flood warnings remain in place across parts of the U.S. following the heavy rain. National Water Center service coordination hydrologist Jason Elliott told Newsweek that some flooding could persist through early this week since it will take time for waters to recede.
Update 4/7/25, 12:38 p.m. Eastern time: This article was updated with additional information.
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