Homes along Skeena River on evacuation alert due to flooding

Evacuation alerts have been issued for two small communities on the Skeena River in northwestern B.C. due to potential flood risk.

Residents of Old Remo and neighbouring New Remo — about 10 kilometres southwest of Terrace — were told Wednesday afternoon by the Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine they should be ready to leave their homes on short notice. 

The alerts came amid other flooding warnings across the province since Tuesday. High water levels on rivers such as the Stikine, Skeena and Kispiox were reported Wednesday.

Janet Munson says her farmland in New Remo has been flooded by the high waters of the Skeena. 

"I'm paddling over my fence line [around my house], which is probably four to five feet high," she told CBC's Matt Allen.

She says her 12 cattle have been removed from the property and they're doing fine.  

Due to the continuing rise in water levels, School District 82 said two school bus routes in Terrace were suspended Wednesday afternoon.

The Terrace area has been troubled by flooding at this time of year over the past two decades. Old Remo was flooded in 2002, 2007 and 2017, seeing roads washed out and dozens of homes evacuated.