More residents near Whiteman’s Creek on Okanagan Indian Band (OKIB) land are able to return to their homes now that an evacuation order has been lifted.
The OKIB has lifted the evacuation order for properties on Raven Road along Saskatoon Road, adjacent to the mouth of Whiteman’s Creek, which spilled its banks earlier this month causing damage to roadways and homes. The OKIB rescinded the order for those properties at 4 p.m. Tuesday, May 16.
The OKIB has also rescinded a local state of emergency, which was declared on May 1 due to flooding.
On May 11 the OKIB rescinded the evacuation order for beach front properties between Raven Road and 209 Saskatoon Road, bedside Okanagan Lake.
Evacuation orders for other areas in Parker Cove remain in effect.
The OKIB is reminding residents who are returning to their homes to return sandbags to the sandbag station north of Whiteman’s Creek, and is asking residents not to dump sand or sandbags into the creek or lake.
Residents are also advised that there still may be crews in equipment working in the area as recovery and de-mobilization efforts continue. The public is advised to avoid getting in the way of crews.
On Monday the band said it was doing its last round of checks of creeks. It said river flows peaked over the weekend and they are now receding from freshet flow levels.
“The emergency Operations Center will be focusing on completing remaining work so that Evacuation Order areas can be rescinded,” the OKIB said.
The OKIB emergency operations centre said the emergency support services that were provided to evacuees will soon begin tapering off. Emergency support services evacuees affected by the flood should contact their insurance providers as soon as possible to start their insurance claim and get an alternative lodging solution.
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