Oroville (Calif.) Hospital officials evacuated the first floor of the hospital as a precautionary measure to protect patients from potential flood waters if the Oroville Dam breaks, according to the Seymour Tribune.
According to the Los Angeles Times, roughly 100,000 people living in Oroville were ordered to evacuate Sunday night after state officials discovered the main reservoir behind the dam and main spillway had reached capacity and its emergency spillway was severely damaged.
A possible failure of the emergency spillway could send a 30-foot wall of water into communities surrounding the dam, according to the Seymour Tribune.
Oroville Hospital CEO Robert Wentz told the Seymour Tribune the hospital decided to move the patients Monday morning "out of an abundance of caution" despite the fact the hospital being outside the flood zone. Mr. Wentz also said patients will not be allowed to return to the first floor until state officials say it is safe to do so.