‘Nobody’s lifted a finger’: Frustrated Chilcotin residents appeal for help amid ‘200-year flood’

A Chilcotin resident is speaking out, saying residents feel ignored by authorities as they grapple with what’s being described as a “200-year flood.”

The BC River Forecast Centre issued a flood watch for the Chilcotin River on Sunday, and upgraded it to a flood warning on Monday.

The agency says the region has been slammed with about 100 millimetres of rain in the last five days, and the Chilcotin River below Big Creek is currently recording a heavy flow, exceeding the 200-year return period, an estimate of the intervals between major events.

Rancher Randy Saugstad said he’s lived in the area for more than 30 years and has never seen anything like it.

“The country just can’t handle it,” Saugstad told Global News by satellite phone on Tuesday.

WATCH: Flood warning issued for the Chilcotin River

1:41 Flood warning issued for the Chilcotin River

Saugstad said roads have washed out across the region, and he has been loaning food and water to some neighbours who are cut off. He said about 50 people live in the affected area.

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He said residents have been raising concerns since Saturday, and are frustrated with what he described as a lack of response from the Cariboo Regional District (CRD) and provincial government.

“Everybody is pissed straight off,” he said, explaining that despite weekend calls to authorities no one responded until Monday.

“Nobody cares, it’s the weekend. I guess emergencies don’t happen on weekends or something.”

CRD Emergency Operations Centre spokesperson Emily Epp acknowledged residents frustrations, and said the EOC wasn’t activated until Monday.

“Unfortunately we weren’t activated at that time, and the right channels, I don’t think, were open yet for those people, but we are doing our best to catch up,” she said.

Epps said in future incidents, residents can call the regional district’s main line and press “5” to get through to the emergency 24-hour line.

Epps said the EOC has heard from about 15 people who said they do have enough food to get by, but said officials know there are others they haven’t heard from and encouraged them to call the public information line at 1-866-759-4977.

She said the EOC is working to get potable water or food to those in need, but that road assessment and repair will be the responsibility of the Ministry of Forests and Ministry of Transportation.

In an email, Emergency Management BC said the responsibility for managing emergencies rests at the local level, with provincial support.

It said Ministry of Transportation crews would send crews to assess roads for repairs once flood waters have receded.

The district says several roads, including the Witte Road and Gaspard Creek-Mons Creek Forest Service Road, are impassable, and is directing residents to DriveBC for more information.

But Saugstad said he wants to see faster action.

“This has been going on since Saturday afternoon, we’re now Tuesday afternoon and nobody’s lifted a finger,” he said.

“We know there’s not a lot that could be done, but the roads could be repaired and you could at least come around and reassure people that help is on the way, that they’re not on their own out here.”

Global News has requested an interview with the CRD.

The River Forecast Centre said water levels in the area are slated to rise slightly and peak on Tuesday, before beginning to slowly recede.

Residents are being warned to stay away from torrential rivers and potentially unstable riverbanks.