Some residents of the Slocan Valley have been put on evacuation alert has officials raise the flood warning level for the rapidly rising river.
“Slocan River near Crescent Valley is currently flowing at 620 m3/s (10-year to 20-year flow) and rising,” the BC River Forecast Centre said in a statement issued Friday morning. “Flows in the 700-750 m3/s range (30-40 cm rise above current levels) are expected Friday into Saturday.”
Rainfall in the area in the last two days has pushed the river more than three metres above summer flow levels.
As a result, residents of two areas of the Slocan Valley south of Winlaw have been put on evacuation alert.
Emergency officials issued the alert Thursday night “because of the potential danger to life and health due to potential flooding of the Slocan River
and Little Slocan River Area.”
One evacuation alert affects 17 properties on Arrow Road, Indian Point Road, Passmore Lower Rd, Little Slocan South Road, and Woykin Road.
The second evacuation alert affects 40 properties of Slocan Valley West Road.
The Regional District of Central Kootenay Emergency Centre issues evacuations alerts to prepare residents to evacuate their premises or property
if necessary.”
“Residents will be given as much advance notice as possible prior to an evacuation order,” the RDCK statement says. “However, you may receive limited notice due to changing conditions.”
