Flooding forces evacuations in B.C. Interior

Warm temperatures at higher elevations in B.C.’s mountain regions is melting snow, swelling rivers and leading to flood warnings and evacuations in many parts of the Interior.

As of Sunday afternoon, at least 15 communities are affected, with 18 evacuation alerts and 19 evacuation orders in place.

Both the Lower Nicola Indian Band and the Thompson-Nicola Regional District issued evacuation orders for homes on Saturday, saying Guichon Creek — about eight kilometres west of Merritt — had breached its banks.

All residents of the Guichon Creek Mobile Home Park were ordered to leave, as were residents of Fyall Road. Evacuees were being directed to check in at the Emergency Social Services reception centre at the mezzanine level of Shulus Arena.

Chief Aaron Sumexheltza said he’d been told the water in the trailer park was at least knee-deep and that at least six homes were flooded. Data from the provincial government’s River Forecast Centre showed snowpacks across the province are above normal and warned that melting snow would continue to cause swollen rivers, also known as freshet, over the coming days.

Sumexheltza said he’d heard the snow pack was high. “In the Merritt area, generally we didn’t seem to have a spring,” he said.

Temperatures in the area were relatively cool until late April, when they shot up into the high 20s.

Saturday, the Upper Nicola Indian Band put 35 homes and businesses near the Nicola River, Nicola Lake and Hamilton Creek on evacuation alert.

The Central Okanagan Regional District has also warned people that rising waters could pose a threat.