Residents of 54 Okanagan Falls properties have been told to leave their homes immediately so officials can do flood mitigation work along a local creek.
The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) issued the evacuation order at 11 a.m. on Thursday.
Barb Parker lives on Brockie Place, one of the streets that’s been hit hardest by flooding.
“Our neighbour’s driveway is basically a river, you could take a canoe through. We are just lucky we are on about four feet higher ground,” Parker said.
“We are not panicked yet. We do have an escape route and a truck to get out if we need to.”
She said some of her neighbours’ homes have been evacuated.
“It is a little scary to see people being taken out and all your friend’s houses, their yards gone and they are knee-deep in water. It is pretty sad for them,” Parker said.
“We got waterfront property that we didn’t want.”
She estimates some parts of her street are under 15 to 20 cm of water.
“RDOS and local authorities need to access the area and conduct works to mitigate risk and return Shuttleworth Creek back within its banks,” the regional district said in a statement.
“Once this immediate work is complete and assessments made, residents will be allowed back to their properties.”
An Emergency Support Services centre has been set up at the Penticton Convention Centre.
Watch below: Many Osoyoos residents are busy sandbagging — trying to protect their homes and businesses from a rapidly rising Osoyoos Lake. The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen declared a local state of emergency Wednesday afternoon. The lake is only inches away from full pool and as Kelly Hayes reports, there are predictions that it’s going to rise above that.