Mexican town evacuated amid fears dam will burst

[cory777]

Source: AP

UEVO LAREDO, Mexico – About 18,000 people were evacuated Tuesday from a town in northern Mexico where authorities feared a dam would overflow from rains that accompanied Hurricane Alex.

Evacuees were taken to shelters in nearby towns and cities, Ciudad Anahuac Mayor Santos Garza Garcia said.

The Venustiano Carranza dam, about 70 kilometers (43 miles) away, reached capacity after days of heavy rains, including remnants of the hurricane, which slammed into Mexico's northern Gulf coast last week.

Garza said 12 floodgates had been opened but authorities were unable to open 17 others because of electrical failures. He said the dam was releasing 600 cubic meters per second into the Salado River, a tributary of the Rio Grande, but could overflow soon.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100706/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_tropical_weather_mexico

[NBachers]

1. Are we sure it's not "Nuevo Laredo?"