More evacuation orders in BC Interior due to flooding concerns
Posted May 10, 2018 11:07 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER – More evacuation alerts have become orders in the BC Interior, as the threat of flooding grows.
Frances Maika with the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary says nearly 1,200 more people have been told they need to leave over 500 properties in the headwaters of the Granby, Kettle and West Kettle Rivers.
She tells us the severity of the forecast has changed, with more rain and rising temperatures. “We’re getting an influx of water that’s even beyond the high levels that we had already predicted.”
And it appears people are responding to the district’s advice.
“People live around here know what happens with the rivers year to year. They’re seeing the same things that their neighbours are seeing, which are water levels coming up feet or meters at a time,” says Maika.
She adds the number told to leave will rapidly expand.
“We’ve had about 1,100 people who’ve been switched to an order, but that’s going to rapidly expand. Anybody who’s been on evacuation alert is now going to be switching to an order.”
Meantime, rain yesterday has triggered flood warnings for several other areas, including Mission Creek in Kelowna and the Salmon River near Salmon Arm.
