More than 100 properties on Okanagan Indian Band land are under evacuation order as Okanagan Lake continues to rise. Wednesday night more were added to that list.
Some people with homes or cabins on the lake are now feeling helpless in the face of the ever growing disaster.
At 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday the Okanagan Indian Band issued an evacuation order for lots 19 to 31 on Jack Road.
Down the road, Stefanie Hansen’s cabin is higher up and well positioned to stay dry. Still she was out sandbagging her deck on Thursday and said the rising water was not easy to watch.
“It’s scary and sad because you know that you can’t stop it and prevent all the damage. There is nothing really you can do,” said Hansen.
Jack Road is far from the only hard hit spot on the north end of Okanagan Lake.
Dozens of properties in the Louis Estates area have been under an evacuation order for more than a week.
The area has been hard hit by flooding with many yards underwater and the road completely washed out at one point.
Resident Jim Starrett did leave but is now staying at his property once again. However, he needs hip waders to get in.
“I did build my house up about two feet. The main floor is still okay now. If it rises another ten inches, it won’t be good,” he said.
“I did what I could on mine and pretty much then just said, ‘Que sera, sera.’”
Down the street some of his neighbours are not covered by the evacuation order but are still battling against flood water.
For two weeks now Janette Moller and her husband have been building up the defenses around their home. However, the lake water keeps rising.
“It’s been actually very sad,” Moller said.
“I just think that we have such a community down here and it is just very, very sad to see people lose their homes.”
There is still more to come. Officials said Thursday that the lake has yet to peak.
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