188,000 under Evacuation Orders near Northern California 770-foot-tall Oroville Dam (VIDEO)

NEARLY 200,000 PEOPLE EVACUATED …

Almost 200,000 people were evacuated after Northern California authorities warned an emergency spillway in the country’s tallest dam was in danger of failing. A state of emergency was declared as the 770-foot-tall Oroville Dam, the nation’s tallest, was in dear of failing.  The cities of Oroville, Gridley, Live Oak, Marysville, Wheat land, Yuba City, Plumas Lake, and Olivehurst were all under evacuation orders.

At least 188,000 people remain under evacuation orders after Northern California authorities warned an emergency spillway in the country’s tallest dam was in danger of failing Sunday and unleashing uncontrolled flood waters on towns below.

About 150 miles northeast of San Francisco, Lake Oroville is one of California’s largest man-made lakes, and the 770-foot-tall Oroville Dam is the nation’s tallest.

The evacuation was ordered Sunday afternoon after engineers spotted erosion on the dam’s secondary spillway. Hours later, panicked and angry people were sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic trying to leave the area.

“The police came and told us to evacuate,” said Kaysi Levias who was with her husband, Greg, at a gas station as they attempted to flee.

Officials warned residents that the spillway could fail within an hour.

“I’m just shocked,” Greg Levias said. “Pretty mad.”

“Not giving us more warning,” said Kaysi, finishing his sentence.