Flood fears surge in B.C. as workers ordered away from swollen river

QUESNEL, B.C. – Workers racing to reinforce the banks of a surging river near Quesnel, B.C., have been ordered to quit work.

Emergency officials say teams have been ordered to leave the banks of the Cottonwood River, about 600 kilometres north of Vancouver, for several reasons, including safety concerns.

Emergency Management B.C. spokesman Chris Duffy says a rainfall warning is in effect for the Quesnel region and flooding appears imminent, with two homes already ordered evacuated and residents on alert at several nearby properties.

Elsewhere across B.C., flood warnings are posted on Baker Creek and the Willow River near Quesnel and Prince George, as well as the West Kettle, Nicola and Bonaparte rivers in the Boundary and Southern Interior regions.

Flood watches are in effect for the Kettle and Granby rivers in the South Okanagan and the Salmon River, near Falkland, in the South Thompson.

Public Safety Minister Shirley Bond says crews are working around-the-clock to prepare sandbags and muster supplies that will be required when flooding occurs.