More evacuation orders issued in Cache Creek, B.C., over flooding concerns
New orders issued due to concerns over rising water levels of Bonaparte River
More evacuation orders have been issued for residents in the village of Cache Creek, B.C., located about 350 kilometres northeast of Vancouver.
Over the weekend, at least 21 properties had been on evacuation order, with eight remaining as of earlier this week, according to a statement the village posted to its Facebook page.
Late Tuesday, the village issued additional orders citing concerns over the Bonaparte River, which Mayor John Ranta says is at "100-year levels."
"We're anticipating 34-degree temperatures in the next couple of days and the potential of some additional rain," Ranta said. "So we suspect that the Bonaparte River will come up even higher than what it is right now."
The new orders affect the following residences:
- 944 and 956 Old Cariboo Rd.
- 1055 Old Cariboo Rd. — all units.
- 1253 Old Cariboo Rd. — all units.
- 1321 Old Cariboo Rd. — all units.
- 1222, 1228, 1234, 1246, 1258, 1260, and 1272 Nugget Rd.
- 811, 825, 828, 840, 842, 872, 888, 890, 886, 896, 904 and 908 Collins Rd.
- 701 Trans-Canada Highway — all units.
Residents at those addresses are urged to leave the area immediately.
Cache Creek remains under a flood warning.
Drivers are being advised to avoid the area as flooding has reduced Highway 1 to a single lane in the village. DriveBC says a pilot vehicle is in operation and drivers should expect an average wait times of 30 minutes.
There are also flood watches in effect for the Quesnel and Salmon rivers.
B.C. Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma said much of the province's southern Interior saw less rain than forecast on Sunday, resulting in communities like Grand Forks downgrading its flood warnings to advisories.
But the B.C. River Forecast Centre says temperatures are expected to surpass 30 C in some communities by next Sunday, which may melt snow at higher elevations and trigger new flood warnings.
Under the B.C. River Forecast Centre's three-tiered warning system, a flood warning means flooding is imminent or already underway. A flood watch means river levels are rising, and flooding might occur.
With files from The Canadian Press