By Melissa Macaya, Mike Hayes and Meg Wagner
From CNN's Judson Jones
The map below illustrates where flooding could occur as a result of dam failures along Michigan's Tittabawassee River. The city of Midland, located along the river, urged residents within the shaded areas to evacuate.
The river is expected to crest 38 feet at 8 p.m. ET today, according to the National Weather Service.
Read more about the city's evacuation plans here.
Michigan's Department of Transportation in a tweet urged residents to check the state's "Mi Drive" page before heading out into the streets, as several major state roads have been impacted by flooding.
Parts of the city of Midland and surrounding areas were virtual lakes Wednesday morning, and it could get worse.
Downtown in Midland, a city of about 41,000 people downstream of the dams, could eventually be "under approximately 9 feet of water," Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said last night.
Earlier this morning, Midland County Road Commission said "every bridge" crossing the Tittabawassee River is closed. The river is forecast to crest to 38 feet at 8 p.m. ET today.
The commission urged residents to not "attempt to use roadways that are underwater."
From CNN’s Ganesh Setty
The Dow Chemical Company, headquartered in Midland, Michigan, said in a statement that the plant's emergency operations are "fully activated" and the company has implemented its flood preparedness plan.
At approximately 10 a.m. ET, the company said, it was confirmed that there were flood waters "commingling with on-site containment ponds." The company said it partnered with the US Coast Guard to activate emergency plans.
Dow added that "only essential staff are onsite to monitor and manage the situation with no reported employee injuries."
The Tittabawassee River at Midland is forecast to crest 38 feet at 8 p.m. ET today.
Downtown Midland, a city of about 41,000 people downstream of the dams that failed, could eventually be "under approximately 9 feet of water" on Wednesday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said.
Here is the full statement from Dow Chemical Company:
“Dow’s local emergency operations center is fully activated and is implementing its flood preparedness plan. All operating units on site have been safely shutdown, except for facilities needed for safely managing chemical containment, and all railcars are secured. At approximately 10:00 a.m. Eastern it was confirmed there were flood waters commingling with on-site containment ponds. We immediately partnered with the U.S. Coast Guard to activate emergency plans. Only essential staff are onsite to monitor and manage the situation with no reported employee injuries. We will continue to engage with our site tenants and Midland County officials and take immediate action to ensure the safety and security of our employees, community and the environment.”
From CNN's Jason Hoffman and Adam Levy
President Trump tweeted that his team is “closely monitoring the flooding in Central Michigan.” A rain-swollen river has flooded fields and streets in parts of mid-Michigan after breaching two dams, forcing evacuation orders for thousands.
Trump added in his tweet that “Our brave First Responders are once again stepping up to serve their fellow citizens, THANK YOU!”
Earlier today, the President slammed Michigan in a tweet over vote-by-mail applications and said he was considering withholding funding from the state if they went forward.
Some context: Yesterday, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced all registered voters would receive vote-by-mail ballot applications. Voters can select on the application to receive an absentee ballot for the August state primary, November general election or both upcoming elections this year. They can also ask to receive a mail ballot in all future elections.
“By mailing applications, we have ensured that no Michigander has to choose between their health and their right to vote,” she said. “Voting by mail is easy, convenient, safe, and secure, and every voter in Michigan has the right to do it.”
Benson responded to Trump in a tweet this morning, noting that the state is sending "applications, not ballots."
From CNN's Rob Frehse, Kristina Sgueglia, Jason Hanna, Miguel Marquez and Christina Maxouris
Downtown Midland, a Michigan city of about 41,000 people downstream of the dams that failed, could eventually be "under approximately 9 feet of water" on Wednesday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said.
A rain-swollen river has flooded fields and streets in parts of mid-Michigan after breaching two dams, forcing evacuation orders for thousands amid a coronavirus pandemic that's posing safety challenges Wednesday for officials trying to provide shelter.
The Tittabawassee River breached the Edenville and Sanford dams north of Midland on Tuesday evening after days of heavy rain.
By this morning, fields and roads in Midland County were virtual lakes, lapping up against businesses and homes.
Here's what it looks like on the ground in Midland:
From CNN's Rob Frehse
The Michigan National Guard was activated, and has a special unit out of Fort Custer to help with evacuations and emergency operations in the area, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced yesterday after two dams in the area failed.
“Mid-Michigan Medical Center is working on moving up to 150 patients and the Michigan State Police has marine, air and land vehicles at work to help evacuate,” Whitmer said.
The Red Cross is also in the area to assist, Whitmer said.
CNN's Rob Frehse, Kristina Sgueglia and Christina Maxouris
About 3,500 homes and 10,000 people have so far been affected by the evacuation notices in mid-Michigan ordered after two dams failed, Mark Bone, chair of the Midland County Board of Commissioners, said he believes.
No deaths or injuries have been reported, he said.
The evacuations come in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. Teams are trying to screen people arriving at the shelters, Bone said, and emergency personnel have plenty of personal protective equipment and are wearing masks.
Masks are available for everyone going into the shelters, he said.
"To go through this in the midst of a global pandemic is almost unthinkable. But we are here, and to the best of our ability we are going to navigate this together," Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said.
"Please, to the best of your ability, continue to wear a face covering when you go to a shelter or go stay with a friend or relative," Whitmer added.
The Michigan Army National Guard is on site, with 100 soldiers doing inspections around the area, Whitmer said.
MidMichigan Medical Center in Midland said it was not evacuating.
"We have been working alongside local agencies, watching closely the rapid changes that have been occurring due to the flooding," Greg Rogers, the president of the medical center, said in a news release. "We have transferred a few patients that were identified by their physician. We have no current plans to evacuate."
The hospital said it has made improvements to protect the hospital since the flood of 1986, which include a FEMA-approved flood wall located on medical center property and generators built above the flood plain.
From CNN's Rob Frehse
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency for Midland County after two dams failed Tuesday, according to her office.
“If you have not evacuated the area, do so now and get somewhere safe,” Whitmer said in a press release. “This is unlike anything we’ve seen in Midland County. If you have a family member or loved one who lives in another part of the state, go there now. If you don’t, go to one of the shelters that have opened across the county.”
Residents should "seek higher ground" as far east and west of the Tittabawassee River as possible, according to the city of Midland's website.
"In the next 12 to 15 hours, downtown Midland could be under approximately nine feet of water," Whitmer said in a news conference. "We are anticipating a historic high water level."
Whitmer highlighted several of those shelters for residents who need a place to go. They are...
From CNN's Monica Garrett
The Tittabawassee River at Midland, Michigan, is forecast to crest 38 feet at 8 p.m. ET today, according to the National Weather Service.
This forecast crest is about 12 hours later than forecasters initially thought.
The river continues to rise quickly. As of 7:30 a.m. ET, the river at Midland had reached a height of 34.49 feet.
Residents should "seek higher ground" as far east and west of the Tittabawassee River as possible, according to the city of Midland's website.
New record: The river has set a new record this morning, surpassing 33.89 feet which was the previous record set on September 13, 1986. The river height is currently 33.97 feet and rising quickly.
State of emergency: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency last night for Midland County after both the Edenville and Sanford dams breached and urged immediate evacuations.