Southeastern British Columbia is bracing for more flooding as the Regional District of Kootenay-Boundary issued a new evacuation order to six properties in the Gilpin Road area of Grand Forks.
The decision was made amid “imminent danger of flooding,” the district told CBC News, as the river cut off access to the properties.
It also comes after evacuation orders were issued to dozens of properties last week. While these orders have since been rescinded, the emergency operations centre of the district still has 621 properties under evacuation alerts and one under an evacuation order.
British Columbia’s River Forecast Centre has likewise issued streamflow advisories for the Skeena River, the Upper Columbia, and East and West Kootenay rivers, among others, as spring snowmelt accelerates due to high temperatures.
According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, freezing levels will remain near 4,000 metres throughout the week, leading to increased melting of the snowpack and possible local flooding.
With these developments, residents are being advised to prepare for possible evacuations and to stay alert for updates from local authorities.
Parts of BC have been struggling with flooding this spring, with the village of Cache Creek among the most affected areas.
Earlier this month, flooding in Cache Creek had displaced residents and damaged highways.
Commenting on the situation, Cache Creek mayor John Ranta had said that the province needs to find a more permanent solution to the flooding problem in the area.
“I don’t know exactly what that is,” Ranta told CBC News. “People have talked about a bridge. People have talked about just forgetting the bridge and leaving a channel there for the river to go through and don’t use that road anymore, those sorts of ideas.”
The mayor also noted that the town has plans to begin collecting donations for people impacted by the flooding and who could not afford flood insurance.
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