Landslide aftermath continues in Peachland

It happened two weeks ago but a landslide in Peachland continues to cause concern among some area residents.

Kathleen North lives right across the slide site on Renfrew Road.

“There are bits and pieces that fall off every day,” North said.

The slide, which occurred in the afternoon hours of January 6, caused debris to fall onto the busy highway 97 corridor, temporarily closing the highway. The slide also took out a significant portion of Renfrew Road leaving a gaping hole that is now fenced off.

“Definitely sub-surface drainage is part of it, so those are natural springs that run under ground,” operations manager with the District of Peachland Joe Mitchell said when asked about the cause of the slide. “It’s probably the leading factor.”

Two weeks later the unstable land continues to give way. Mitchell was going door-to-door Monday morning reassuring residents that the debris breaking off was expected.

“As the weather gets a little warmer some of the frost is coming off the ground,” Mitchell said. “It has the potential for a little asphalt to drop away over next few days. It is to be expected, there is no concern with it.”

As for traffic on Highway 97 below, motorists are being told it is safe to travel on.

“There is a large amount of debris between the slide site and where the highway is,” Mitchell said. “We are not expecting a large slide, just little bits of debris and they won’t make it to the highway.”

The District is now working with geotechnical engineers as it prepares to repair the road, a project that’s expected to take months to complete at a cost likely upwards of $1 million.