B.C. issues flood warning, watches after landslide blocks river, forces evacuations

WILLIAMS LAKE, B.C. - British Columbia's Ministry of Land and Water says personnel are conducting assessments near a landslide that blocked the Chilcotin River in the province's Interior, including to understand risks that might exist downstream.

A government statement says the landslide Wednesday blocked the river that feeds into the Fraser River, and a sudden release of water "may cause rapid rises in river levels downstream along the Fraser River" south to Hope, B.C.

The River Forecast Centre has issued a flood warning for the Chilcotin River upstream of the landslide and a flood watch downstream.

A flood watch is also in place for the Fraser River from the Chilcotin River confluence to Hope as well as a high streamflow advisory for the Fraser River west of Hope.

Evacuation orders issued Wednesday remain in place, covering 107 kilometres along both sides of the Chilcotin River, after the Cariboo Regional District said there was an immediate danger to life and safety due to flooding.

The regional district says 60 properties are covered in the orders including 12 homes with an estimated 13 residents.

The Ministry of Emergency Management says in the statement that it is working with communities to co-ordinate operations and that air support from the BC Wildfire Service is being used to assist with assessments and search and rescue.

"The province is prepared to take additional actions to keep people and communities safe in the event of flooding, such as deploying sandbags, sandbag machines, gabions and tiger dams to communities if needed," the statement says.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 1, 2024.