Central Okanagan declares state of emergency in flood crisis

UPDATE: Local states of emergency have been declared for Kelowna, West Kelowna, Fintry Delta and the Regional District of Central Okanagan.

Flooding continued to intensify Saturday in Kelowna and surrounding communities, forcing road closures, evacuations and crisis precautions.

Following a morning that included a power outage in the Gellatly Road area as BC Hydro crews relocated a flood-damaged electrical pole, the City of West Kelowna declared a state of emergency. Though no evacuation orders have been issued, Gellatly Road is closed and Shannon Lake Road is operating on single-lane, alternating traffic north of Shannon View Drive.

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Nearby Fintry Provincial Park has had an evacuation order in place since Friday. Around 90 properties in the Fintry Delta area are on evacuation alert, including those accessed by Fintry Delta, Morden and Shorts roads. The alert means those in this area should be ready to leave at short notice.

Westbank First Nation IR 9 has been issued a boil water advisory in response to elevated turbidity levels related to floodwaters.

In Kelowna, emergency workers have been conducting tactical evacuations throughout the city, sending people who are at risk due to the flooding to Emergency Support Services. Evacuation orders have been issued to two properties near the south end of Lakeshore Road, which has been blocked by a landslide. Evacuations have also taken place at apartment buildings near downtown affected by flooding from Mill Creek.

Sutherland Avenue from Pandosy Avenue to Richter Avenue and Buckland Avenue from Marshall Street to Ellis Street are closed, as well as Marshall Street itself.

In Lake Country, Beaver Lake Road is also closed.

Central Okanagan Emergency Operations is urging the public to respect safety blockades and to watch for closure signs, as roads throughout the Central Okanagan have standing water or are under imminent threat of flooding.

They also advise that sandbag supplies have been restocked in flooded communities.

In Kelowna, citizens are asked to call the Kelowna Fire Department at 250-469-8801 if they notice a flooding problem. The local Emergency Support Services reception centre is located at the Salvation Army on Sutherland Avenue.