sending its water sweeping down a valley

[Maybo]

Water engineering experts have told the BBC it is likely a dam around 12km (eight miles) from Derna failed first, sending its water sweeping down a valley and overcoming a second dam which lay closer to the city.

Source: Libya floods: Flooded city of Derna buries its dead in mass graves by BBC

Should I understand the underlined sentence structure this way?:

The failed dam sent its water to sweep down a valley and the water overcame a second dam which lay closer to the city.

Is "to" dropped in the original sentence?

 

[Tarheel]

Look at it this way. (See below.)

The dam burst. The water rushed down the valley until it encountered a second dam, which it overwhelmed.

There is no place to insert "to" ihe original sentence.

 

[Maybo]

Look at it this way. (See below.)

The dam burst. The water rushed down the valley until it encountered a second dam, which it overwhelmed.

How about the sentence structure?

There are two "verb+ing" in the underlined part.

 

[Tarheel]

In fact, there are three of them: SENDING, SWEEPING, and OVERCOMING, and they all make perfect sense. The water was sent down the valley. It swept anything in its path out of the way. It overcame (demolished) the other dam.

 

[Maybo]

In fact, there are three of them: SENDING, SWEEPING, and OVERCOMING, and they all make perfect sense. The water was sent down the valley. It swept anything in its path out of the way. It overcame (demolished) the other dam.

I’m trying to learn this sentence structure.

 

[Tarheel]

OK. Like this? (See below.)

I heard somebody knocking on my door. After opening the door, I started punching him. He wasn't enjoying it even though the sun was shining and it wasn't raining.

 

[Maybo]

OK. Like this? (See below.)

I heard somebody knocking on my door. After opening the door, I started punching him. He wasn't enjoying it even though the sun was shining and it wasn't raining.

You still haven’t told me what sentence structure it is in post #1.

 

[Tarheel]

@Maybo I don't know the name of of that sentence structure. Maybe @jutfrank does.

 

[jutfrank]

It doesn't have a special name. The structure is this:

send + something + -ing

We use it to express a physical result of a causal action. The failure of the dam is the cause and the water sweeping down the valley is the effect.

 

[tedmc]

The failed dam sent its water to sweep down a valley and the water overcame a second dam which lay closer to the city.

I think adding "to" would not be appropriate. "To" implies "for a purpose". The dam failed and the water caused damage downstream. It is a natural occurrence without any purpose.