California dam emergency spillway used for first time in history

More than 180,000 people in northern California have been told to evacuate their homes after overflow channels at the tallest dam in the US were found to be damaged.

Officials warned on Sunday that the emergency spillway of the Oroville Dam could collapse at any moment.

Water levels in the reservoir have increased because of heavy rain and snow.

It is the first time that the emergency channel was activated in the dam's near 50-year history.