STARKVILLE, Miss. (WTVA) - Emergency management officials in Oktibbeha County said heavy rains could cause a failure in the dam at Oktibbeha County Lake.

Oktibbeha County EMA Director Kristen Campanella said the county engineer inspected the dam. She said the engineer reported extremely high water levels in the lake and said the dam could go at any time.

The Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors issued a warning and activated the emergency action plan.

The dam is located between Riviera Road and Walter Bell Road just north of Perkins Drive. Campanella said residents on those roads should evacuate immediately.

She said the evacuation is not mandatory at this time, but residents in the area near the dam should move a safe distance away.

Campanella said other roads impacted in the event the dam breaks include:

County Lake Road, from Highway 82 to Harrell Road

Walter Bell Road, from County Lake Road to Watershed Drive

Perkins Drive

Highway 389, from Wade Road to Sudduth Road

Reed Road, from Highway 25 bypass to County Lake Road

Highway 82, from County Lake Road to Highway 25 bypass

Sun Creek Road, from Camp Seminole Road to Highway 389

Highway 50, from John Henry Toad to Tribble Road

Water Well Road

A shelter will be opened at the First Baptist Church Outreach Building at 210 South Jackson St. if needed. The Red Cross is assisting with the shelter.

The next inspection of the dam will be Wednesday morning.