(AP) -- Officials in Haiti say a river that has been a source of a cholera epidemic is expected to overflow following heavy rains from Hurricane Tomas.

United Nations officials say engineers were forced to let water pass through a dam on the Artibonite River on Sunday.

People living along the waterway were alerted to evacuate their families and . Authorities are expected to fly over the area to look for flooding Monday.

Cholera is new to Haiti. The and fever-causing illness has killed some 500 people and hospitalized thousands since appearing last month. Its origin has not yet been confirmed.