The Lafayette County Fire Department is working to relieve pressure from the Tara Lake Dam before a levee breaches due to the heavy rainfall received on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Water is currently being pumped from the dam before any potential breach occurs that would flood the Gum Tree subdivision and other surrounding neighborhoods along the College Hill Road area. The fire department is in communication with Lafayette County Emergency Management as well.

Residents were asked to evacuate their homes and the area out of precaution by the Lafayette County Fire Department.

According to the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, the dam has not breached but a sinkhole was forming on the levee.

Oxford and Lafayette County have received nearly 10 inches of rain over the past 36 to 40 hours, causing multiple county roads and city roads to be closed due to flooding, downed trees and downed power lines.