Residents in southern Mississippi are urged to evacuate immediately because of a compromised dam at Anchor Lake in Carriere.

The National Weather Service declared a Flash Flood Emergency for the area including Poplarville and Picayune, a total population over 51,000, just before 4 p.m. Thursday.

People in the emergency zone should move to higher ground immediately, and avoid walking or driving through floodwaters.

Life-threatening flash flooding has been ongoing throughout the day due to tons of rain from the remnants of Tropical Storm Arthur, which is making its way across the Southeast.

There was a flash flood emergency earlier Thursday in this area due to a particularly heavy rainfall event.