UPDATE: May 14 11:30 a.m.
An evacuation order issued Saturday evening, due to a slide, remains in effect until further notice for 17 properties below Kilkenny Place.
Fortunately no one was hurt in the slide, which appears to have impacted at least one home.
Emergency personnel say eight people received assistance through Emergency Support Services volunteers in Vernon.
Slope stability assessments began Saturday night and are continuing today to determine when residents can safely return to their homes.
While a number of evacuation orders and alerts have been rescinded, residents are reminded that we’re not in the clear just yet. Approximately 400 people remain on evacuation order in the region.
“Emergency officials are constantly assessing possible changes in the status of remaining evacuation orders and alerts based on a variety of conditions including weather and the impact it has on lake water levels which are continuing to rise and levels and flows of area creeks,” writes the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre.
“The inconvenience and stress posed to those people forced from their homes and properties is always top of mind. Any change to Evacuation Orders will be made only when it is safe to allow residents to return to their homes.”
Residents are reminded that it will take weeks before emergency crews can give the all clear.
“With water levels at record highs and snow remaining in the high elevation watersheds, the potential for flooding due to rain, wind or warm temperatures is still a risk. These conditions for area lakes and creeks are expected to last well into June,” adds the EOC.
“All residents, including those no longer on order or alert, are reminded to keep sandbags in place until the flood watch event has fully ended. Residents with lakefront properties and next to beach edges should not remove the debris along their property, as it can act as a barricade against rising waters and minimize erosion.”
Boaters are also reminded that lake levels are high and they should watch for floating debris as a significant amount has been flowing down streams and into area lakes.
Boaters should also keep their distance from shorelines and if possible keep speeds down as additional wave action could cause disturbance to banks and beaches.
To view the most up to date information, go to www.cordemergency.ca and view maps.
The Province of British Columbia’s Emergency Management website also offers helpful information on protecting your property from, and recognizing the danger signs of landslides.
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UPDATE MAY 14 8:45 A.M. – Some North Westside residents remain out of their homes after a slide.
The incident occurred Saturday afternoon, impacting 17 properties on Kilkenny Place.
“JPW road maintenance is going to begin clean up at 930 a.m. Sunday morning,” said Jason Satterthwaite, North Westside fire chief.
“The homes still remain on evacuation orders.”
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An evacuation order has been issued for 17 properties in the North Westside Road area.
The properties from 9567 to 9697 Kilkenny Place are on evacuation order after a small landslide came down in the Killiney Beach subdivision, below Westside Road, Saturday afternoon.
According to the Regional District of Central Okanagan, no one was hurt by the sloughing but the slide debris appears to affect at least one home.
Until slope stability is assessed, for their safety, eight residents of these properties are being accommodated by Emergency Support Services volunteers from Vernon.
The PreparedBC website has detailed information about what residents should look for to assess potential landslide conditions:
Get to know your terrain and waterways. The best way to prepare is to be aware of changes that could signal a landslide. These may include:
- Sudden changes in stream flow
- Rapid changes or pulses in flow (e.g. changes in volume) or pulses of sediment (e.g. from clear to murky).
- Abnormally dirty water
- Accumulation of large logs or debris
- Rapid accumulation of sediment or bed-load along a flat section of a creek channel
- Tension cracks near the top of the slope
- Falling rocks or boulders or flowing or sliding soil. This may precede a much larger landslide
- Leave the area immediately if you observe the following:
- A faint rumbling sound that increases in volume
- Unusual sounds, such as trees cracking or boulders knocking together
When you are safe, report the situation by calling 9-1-1. If you are caught in a landslide with no option to evacuate, curl in a tight ball and protect your head and neck.
To view the most up to date information, go to www.cordemergency.ca and view maps. Going forward, updates will be posted daily at 11 a.m., unless conditions change.
