Thirty homes remain under evacuation order near Oliver and a forecast calling for heavy rain has officials concerned about further damage and risk to workers cleaning up after Sunday’s devastating mudslide.
Meanwhile, the province approved financial assistance Tuesday for people who lost homes or equipment in the torrent of debris and water that swept down the hillside, wiping out orchards and vineyards.
Meteorologist Mark Madryga said this spring has been much wetter than usual in the south Okanagan.
Normal rainfall in the region for May 15 to June 15 is about 40 millimetres, while about 109 millimetres fell in the same period this year.
And more rain is in the forecast.
"We’re looking at some overcast clouds right now and we’re being told by Environment Canada to expect some rain, and higher amounts of rain at higher elevations, which is where [the dam] is," said Mark Woods, community services manager for the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen. "We’re watching that closely and we’re definitely aware of the rain."
A preliminary investigation showed a dam failure is the suspected cause of the slide that buried or moved about 10 buildings, including five homes.
The dam was part of an artificial lake, informally called Testalinden Lake, located at an altitude of about 1,800 metres. When the dam gave way, the debris flowed about seven kilometres down Testalinden Creek.
"It’s a steep climb through a steep canyon. [The mudslide] roared through the canyon and nobody knew about it until it started making noise in the valley," said Allan Patton, the area’s regional director.
A Ministry of Environment spokesman said dams are regulated and licensed by the province.
"In this particular case, the dam is licensed to E&M Cattle Co. Ltd., a local ranch in the area. As the licence holder, this company is responsible for the maintenance and inspection of the dam," Suntanu Dalal told The Vancouver Sun in an e-mail.
The ministry has not confirmed the cause of the mudslide.
"Further investigation over the next few weeks is expected to verify and confirm what exactly the factors were resulting in the debris flow. It is logical to assume the breach was a contributing factor," Dalal said.
E & M Cattle Co. Ltd. went through a name change in 1968 and became Elkink Ranch, which still exists today. A call to Elkink asking for comment was not returned.
It is unknown if the water licence would have transferred with the company when the name was changed, although Dalal said the current licence holder has held it since 1981.
Oliver’s museum director Darryl MacKenzie said the dam may have been built in the 1930s by rancher Val Haynes.
Meanwhile, cleaning up the mess is a monumental task, said regional director Patton.
Instability of the creek’s banks is a safety concern for people working on the cleanup, Patton said.
The big machinery needed for the cleanup will wipe out orchard trees and vineyard vines, setting growers back many years "We won’t return the orchards, vineyards and farms to where they were for years."
The regional district’s Woods said Highway 97, which has been closed since Sunday, may be reopened by Thursday. He said he is hopeful residents will be allowed home soon.
"We’re bringing in specialists that can measure the level of risk and give us definitive assurances that the risk is gone so that we can get people home," Woods said. "We want to get them home as soon as possible, as soon as it’s safe."
Minister of Public Safety Michael de Jong was meeting with affected residents Tuesday and bringing in a team of specialized recovery experts from the Provincial Emergency Program to provide one-on-one help with the application process, said a ministry news release.
The damage must be from an uninsurable event such as debris torrents and overland flooding in order to qualify for assistance, the ministry said.
Regional director Patton said he was pleased the government has announced the funding, but called the maximum $300,000 payable "peanuts" compared to what some people have lost.
Meanwhile, the RCMP is urging the curious to stay away. "We also ask that backcountry enthusiasts, hikers and recreational off-road vehicle operators who normally use the Testalinden Creek and Testalinden Lake area to remain out of the area while the disaster response effort continues," Cpl. Dan Moskaluk said.
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