e0880b6bwa00000 u n Urgent-NWS_SGX-DAM_BREAK 01/14 328 DAM BREAK FLOOD WATCH FOR PRADO DAM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN DIEGO CA 1041 AM PST FRI JAN 14 2005 ...DAM BREAK FLOOD WATCH FOR PRADO DAM IN EFFECT UNTIL 630 PM PST FRIDAY FOR ORANGE COUNTY COASTAL AREAS- RIVERSIDE COUNTY VALLEYS-THE INLAND EMPIRE... A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR AREAS ALONG AND NEAR THE SANTA ANA RIVER...FROM THE PRADO DAM IN WESTERN RIVERSIDE COUNTY TO THE RIVER MOUTH IN NEWPORT BEACH. THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF CORONA...YORBA LINDA...ANAHEIM... PLACENTIA...ATWOOD...OLIVE...ORANGE...FULLERTON...BUENA PARK... LA PALMA...CYPRESS...SANTA ANA...GARDEN GROVE...WESTMINSTER... FOUNTAIN VALLEY...COSTA MESA...HUNTINGTON BEACH...AND NEWPORT BEACH. WATER IS SEEPING FROM THE PRADO DAM. THE AMOUNT OF THE SEEPAGE HAS INCREASED...BUT AN IMMINENT FAILURE OF THE DAM IS NOT ANTICIPATED. THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS IS STILL ASSESSING THE STABILITY OF THE DAM AT THIS TIME. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WILL BE AVAILABLE LATER TODAY. IN THE INTERIM...THE RESERVOIR IS BEING EMPTIED AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. HIGHWAY 71 HAS ALSO BEEN CLOSED AS A PRECAUTION. MOTORISTS SHOULD CAL TRANS AT 8 0 0...4 2 7 7 6 2 3 FOR LATEST ROAD CLOSURE INFORMATION. AS A FURTHER PRECAUTION...RESIDENTS AND CAMPERS HAVE BEEN EVACUATED IN THE AREA JUST BELOW THE DAM TO JUST EAST OF YORBA LINDA. THIS INCLUDES PART OF THE CITY OF CORONA AND THE FEATHERLY REGIONAL PARK. OTHER EVACUATIONS IN ORANGE AND RIVERSIDE COUNTIES HAVE NOT YET BEEN ORDERED. INFORMATION HOTLINE NUMBERS ON EVACUATIONS HAVE BEEN SET UP... FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY...THE NUMBER IS 9 5 1...8 1 7 5 8 5 2. FOR ORANGE COUNTY...THE NUMBER IS 7 1 4...6 2 8 7 0 8 5. ALL RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS NEAR OR ALONG THE SANTA ANA RIVER BETWEEN THE COAST AND PRADO DAM SHOULD MONITOR LOCAL MEDIA TO STAY ABREAST OF LATEST STATEMENTS...EVACUATION ORDERS...OR WARNINGS. AN UPDATE TO THIS FLASH FLOOD WATCH WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 230 PM OR SOONER. $$ BALFOUR EDIS-01-14-05 1042 PST