Flooding in Okanagan forces more evacuations, school and road closures

Flooding continues to impact communities in the South Okanagan with more people ready to leave at a moment’s notice.

Sixty properties west of Summerland are now under an evacuation alert.

The region is also under a local state of emergency.

More than 400 homes in the South Okangan Similkameen are on flood watch, with 33 of them having been forced to evacuate.

In Summerland, 60 properties in the Faulder and Meadow Valley neighbourhoods 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.

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

“This is unprecedented. It’s almost biblical,” Faulder resident Brad Besler told Global Okanagan Sunday.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "This is unprecedented. It's almost biblical," Faulder resident Brad Besler told Global Okanagan Sunday.

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,” said Mark Woods with the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen.

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

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The situation is just as bad in the Thompson Nicola region.

The Lower Nicola River is getting so high it’s even displaced a beaver from its dam.

The bridge on Highway 8 near Merritt was forced to close overnight.

Fifty-four properties have been ordered to evacuate in the area as other creeks and rivers have breached their banks.

At least one school, Nicola Canford Elementary, has announced it will be closed Monday due to the flooding.

School buses will also not be running beyond the Guichon Creek Bridge due to the high water.

The Lytton Ferry will also not be running as the Fraser River is too high.

— With files from Shelby Thom, Global Okanagan