Princeton residents are bracing themselves for the worst as another storm nears before the damage of the last has even been cleared.
“We’re going hour by hour right now, where we’re racing the clock when it comes to getting all of this work done,” Princeton Mayor Spencer Coyne said, as crews worked to strengthen the dike system.
If the forecast pans out, the town will be hit on Tuesday by the third atmospheric river.
The results, Coyne fears, could be higher water than two weeks ago when the Tulameen river breached its banks and a significant portion of the town was submerged. That required a multi-tiered recovery response, which was in progress when volunteer crews and Canadian Armed Forces members turned their attention to a potentially worse storm on the way.
“We keep getting mixed messages on what the actual levels are going to be. They keep going up and up and down … it’s not an exact science,” Coyne said.
All eyes are currently on the oncoming direction of the storm, Coyne said, noting modelling has focused on girding the town against the Tulameen River by building up the town’s dikes.
“We’ve reinforced everything” by several feet, Coyne said.
It’s going to be touch and go if the worst comes, but Coyne said he’s been given a boost of confidence by the Armed forces, which were deployed to the small community in recent days to help with flood response.
“They’ve done an amazing work … and I think those defenses will hold,” he said.
Once this storm has passed, the effort will again be focused on recovery. Everything from personal property to the town’s sewage system has been damaged. When asked what the dollar figure might be, Coyne couldn’t guess.
The BC River Forecast Centre has upgraded its Flood Watch advisory to Flood Warning for the Tulameen River in Electoral Area H. It means riverbanks are full, and flooding will result in areas adjacent to affected rivers.
A Flood Watch advisory has also been issued for the Similkameen River in Electoral Area H.
If river levels continue to rise, authorities recommend residents seek out higher ground, not attempt to travel on water-covered or backcountry roads, and stay clear of fast-flowing waterways, as well as potentially unstable riverbanks.
Anyone under Evacuation Alert or Order due to flooding, is asked to self-register with Emergency Support Services (ESS) at ess.gov.bc.ca to report that they have safely left the area or call 1-833-498-3770.
By registering, they will be eligible for emergency shelter and food.