In a race against time, residents of Nashville, Illinois have been ordered to evacuate immediately as emergency officials warn of an impending dam rupture. The Washington County Emergency Management Agency issued a hasty Facebook post on Tuesday morning, urgently instructing residents to leave their homes without delay.

The dire situation unfolded as Washington County was placed under a flash flood warning following heavy rainfall. Radar estimates from the National Weather Service office in St. Louis revealed that the region had received over 5 inches of rain within the past six hours. This level of rainfall, approaching a 100-year frequency, is a statistical anomaly that occurs only once every century, according to weather records.

The intensified and increasingly frequent extreme rainfall events are attributed to the effects of climate change. As the planet warms due to the pollution caused by fossil fuels, the atmosphere is able to hold more moisture, resulting in more intense downpours such as the one experienced by Nashville.

Despite ongoing heavy rainfall in the area, a potential break in the extreme precipitation is anticipated later Tuesday afternoon and evening. However, another round of heavy rainfall is expected overnight, adding to the precarious situation.

Nashville, a small town with a population of 3,105 according to the US Census Bureau, is located approximately 50 miles east of St. Louis, Missouri. The city had previously experienced the breach of a secondary dam on its reservoir on July 26, 2022, when over four inches of rain fell within 12 hours. This caused a six-foot breach, resulting in flooding that affected nearly 40 acres of land between Ashley, Illinois, and Nashville, as documented by Washington County records.

As concerned citizens await updates on the current situation, CNN has reached out to officials in Nashville and Washington County for the latest information. This is a developing story, and CNN will continue to provide updates as they come in.

Note: The information presented in this article is based solely on the provided text and may not reflect the latest developments.