WBRZ - Baton Rouge

AMITE - Gov. Bobby Jindal says even if crews are successful in conducting an intentional breach of an endangered dam threatening a state park in southwest Mississippi, Louisiana locals near the structure should still heed warnings to evacuate.

A lake bordering Tangipahoa Parish could burst through a locally operated dam. Jindal said the lake, swollen with rain from Tropical Storm Isaac, has compromised the dam's integrity. However, a controlled release of water has already begun, reducing the threat.

Jindal urged residents to take mandatory evacuations seriously.

He said data from preliminary inundation maps indicate at least a half-mile area on either side of the Tangipahoa River could flood if the dam fails. Parish officials say a flyover of the area indicated a much larger area would be affected than they initially anticipated.