Blind Bay residents were worried, but hoping the sun will soon begin to shine.
As water levels continued to rise, locals were building up their sandbag barriers in the hope that they would be able to protect their houses from any further harm.
Graham Clarke, a Blind Bay resident, admits that though he had been sandbagging for a week, he wasn’t worried until last Saturday.
It was at this time that the water level began to rapidly rise.
“The lake is now located under my house,” he said.
Clarke noted that on Monday the water was about 18 inches below the floorboards in his house.
With Tuesday’s windstorm, Clarke was outside at 3 a.m. checking to make sure all his sandbags remained intact and that the waves were not getting over.
“This morning it looked like the water was starting to go down,” said Clarke on Wednesday.
No evacuations have been noted in the area at this point, but Clarke says if that happens, he and his family, will leave the premises.
Lorraine Seys, owner of the Shuswap Marina, says she has never seen anything like it.
According to Seys, business has been dramatically impacted.
“We aren’t officially closed, I mean, we are here, but no one is really looking to go boating right now.”
Seys also warned that if water levels got any higher, many of the boats docked in their marina would be at risk.
Residents who have boats docked in the water are also advised to take proper precautions. Strong wave activity can cause rapid and severe erosion to docks, and boats can easily be washed out into the lake.
The public is still being advised by the Shuswap Emergency Program to stay off the water unless it is an emergency situation.
Debris both floating on top and below the water surface poses a serious threat to boaters, and the increased water levels may cause damage to existing docks.
Blind Bay Road will remain closed from Centennial Drive to Marine Way until the water level goes down, as it is not passable by vehicle at press time.
Residents can still access the Trans-Canada Highway through Balmoral Road, Centennial Drive and Cedar Drive.
The Shuswap Emergency Program is advising people to drive slowly on the water and on water-filled roads as well.
The Emergency Operation Centre located in Salmon Arm has had reports of boaters creating wakes which are breaching protective barriers.
Blind Bay residents who normally get their mail from the post boxes located on Blind Bay Road are being diverted to the Blind Bay Post Office, located in the Blind Bay Village Grocer until further notice.
Jason Adair was in Blind Bay for the weekend, and couldn’t believe how much community members came together to help one another.
“People were just showing up to help us out. It was amazing, we didn’t ask anyone – they just did it.”
Adair and his family decided to pay forward the generosity and spent Monday going up and down the roads with lakeside homes, helping wherever they could.
“It is amazing how disasters can bring people together.” says Adair.
More information can be obtained by calling the Shuswap Emergency Program at 250-833-3350 or on their website at www.sepadvisory.com
