‘This is unprecedented, it’s almost biblical’: Flooding near Summerland prompts evacuation alert

Brad Besler has lived in his family home in the small rural community of Faulder most of his life, now he is fighting to save it from flood waters.

“This is unprecedented. It’s almost biblical,” he said on Sunday, while sandbagging the property.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "This is unprecedented. It's almost biblical," he said on Sunday, while sandbagging the property.

Sixty properties in the Faulder and Meadow Valley neighbourhoods in the south Okanagan were placed under evacuation alert on Saturday afternoon.

Darke Lake upstream is at capacity and the downstream creeks cannot manage the high volumes of water.

Water is pooling in otherwise idyllic pastures and fields are inundated with water.

Residents are doing what they can to keep the torrent at bay.

“The last few days it’s really been going up and everyone’s been at the sandbag pile just getting the job done,” Besler said.

The creek has breached Agur Crescent, leaving homes vulnerable.

“It was going under the road until Friday through the culverts and it started over the road on Friday and we’ve been fighting it for a week now,” resident Jim McCrank said.

“We don’t want you in harm’s way getting in and out of your home and we know that there are driveways that are experiencing a lot of water over them so we’re watching that closely,” said Mark Woods with the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen.

Residents are no stranger to extreme weather events.

Last summer they were also under an evacuation alert due to the Peachland-Summerland wildfire.

“We take them in stride,” McCrank said, when asked about the floods and fires.

The flood emergency stretches across the region.

More than 400 properties in the south Okanagan-Similkameen are under evacuation alert.

READ MORE:  More vacuation alerts in the south Okanagan; Twin Lakes

People living in 33 homes have been forced to evacuate.

Emergency officials say the unfolding calamity could get worse before it gets better as the spring heatwave accelerates the snow melt.

“What we are hearing from the experts is we should expect higher volumes of water, to what degree, we’re not sure,” Woods said.

Meanwhile the unfortunate situation is showing the strength of community spirit.

“Faulder, great group of people out here,” Besler said.

WATCH BELOW: Global Okanagan’s ongoing coverage of the 2018 floods in the south Okanagan-Similkameen 

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