Lynchburg, Virginia — home of Liberty University — could be under 17 feet of water if a dam fails.

The National Weather Service warned late Thursday evening that it would only take 7 minutes to flood the city should the College Lake Dam fail in the wake of heavy rain. Officials ordered evacuations Thursday in the area surrounding Black Creek Trail. The College Lake Dam is filled beyond its capacity. 

County officials were checking the dam Friday morning for structural failures. Four to six inches of rain fell Thursday evening, causing water to spill over the dam. The overflow is threatening 124 houses below.

Local fire and police departments were sending boats to take people to shelters. 

Please pray that the dam holds and that Lynchburg citizens are safe.

Editor’s update, August 4: USA Today is reporting that officials have pronounced the endangered dam “stable and safe,” but teams continue to watch the dam “around the clock.” Flash flood warnings and evacuations remain in effect on Saturday morning, according to Lynchburg local news WSET.