UPDATE: Evacuation order expanded for Chilcotin River landslide

UPDATE: The evacuation order has been expanded areas west of the existing evacuation order area - around 26 parcels which cover around 3,481 hectares within the Chilcotin River Landslide Area #2, according to a press release by the Cariboo Regional District. Those in the area are ordered to evacuate and to head to any roads heading north to Highway 20 and east to Williams Lake. 

ORIGINAL STORY: The Cariboo Regional District has issued an evacuation order for 34 parcels of land in the Chilcotin River Landslide area. 

This order covers roughly 7,269 hectares of land and will be expedited by members of the RCMP and other groups. Residents are asked to leave the area immediately due to the immediate danger to life and safety from flooding caused by the landslide. Any who choose to stay do so at their own risk. 

Evacuees are asked to close all the windows and doors of their homes, close their gates but not lock them, leave their natural gas on and take only critical items like wallets, keys and medicine if immediately available. They advise residents not to take more vehicles than they have to and to not use the telephone unless in need of emergency services. 

In their release announcing the order the CRD said the evacuation routes are any roads heading north to Highway 20 and East to Williams Lake. Evacuees are asked to call the Emergency Service Centre at 250-267-4861 to arrange Emergency Support Services

The order comes after a landslide occurred near Farwell Canyon overnight on Tuesday, July 30 and Wednesday, July 31. The landslide has completely blocked the Chilcotin River and is causing flooding in the area with the CRD also declaring a state of local emergency on July 31. The Tsilhqot'in National Government (TNG) has also activated its Emergency Operations Centre (EOC). 

Residents are encouraged to register for the Cariboo Chilcotin Emergency Notification System to receive a text, call or email regarding Evacuation Alerts and Orders. Anyone looking for further information is asked to call the CRD's emergency information line at 1-866-759-4977 (open 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. daily).