Hundreds of people are stranded, and likely will be for a few more days after a bridge was washed out on Mabel Lake road, about 25 kilometres east of Enderby.
Early Friday morning, the Cooke Creek bridge on Mabel Lake Road was taken out when tons of logs and debris came roaring down Cooke Creek.
It’s believed an ice dam formed on an upper elevation lake.
With rising temperatures and a buildup of water behind the naturally occurring ice dam, it suddenly let loose, causing a debris flow to come down the mountain.
Emergency crews are on the scene, and there are plans to build a temporary bridge so people on the east side of the bridge washout can get out, but that may take a few days.
B.C. Hydro says there are nearly 700 customers without power, and electricity is not expected to be restored until Monday at the earliest.
The Kingfisher Interpretive Centre has also been severely impacted by the mud and trees.
There was also concern about the Trinity Valley road bridge, but the debris field has now passed, leaving it undamaged.
More details to come.
The B.C. government announced $27 million in funding geared toward flood protection in communities throughout the province.
The funding will go toward new dikes, erosion protection, pump stations, flood boxes and other structures to help communities in a flood.
“We are preventing the heartache, disruption and significant costs that come from flooding damages to homes, businesses and communities. These projects provide safety for the public and help protect the businesses and industries that provide jobs for British Columbians,” said B.C.’s attorney general and minister of justice Suzanne Anton.
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