The Okanagan Indian Band has expanded an already-in-place evacuation order for an area in Parker Cove.
A portion of Falcon Avenue was evacuated Monday evening and the remaining properties were evacuated Friday afternoon.
Hundreds of volunteers and residents have come out over the course of the week to assist in protecting the Parker Cove community from more flooding from Whiteman’s Creek after it had already breached its banks on Tuesday.
“The high snow has not melted, the log jam that we hear about, the houses are still in jeopardy. We lost 70 houses in Kiliney Beach — we can’t lose any more houses,” said volunteer Wendy Waters.
The Okanagan Indian Band released a statement Friday afternoon, saying crews are focused on log jams as well as dredging the creek to help restore flows to the creek bed.
“It’s better now that they put the machine back there and dug it out a bit so hopefully that relieves some of the pressure cause we were getting a log jam in the trees and that makes (the water) rise quicker, ” said Ron Bergeron, Falcon Avenue resident.
“They’re doing a great job to try and prepare. They’ve got a big excavator in the creek right behind my place that’s digging out bushes and digging the creek down further,” said Laura Muller, another Falcon Avenue resident.
“You always try to be optimistic. But in the back of your mind, it’s always a worry, your house.”
One pleasant surprise for the residents is the number of volunteers who have come from all across the Okanagan to help or donate food.
“You got people here every day, same people…they don’t even live here or anything,” said Bergeron.
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