B.C.’s premier witnessed the devastation of last weekend’s Cache Creek flood firsthand on Tuesday and promised new help for affected residents.
Christy Clark arrived in the village around 10:30 a.m. and immediately headed to one of the hardest-hit neighbourhoods, where one house was knocked off its foundation by the torrent of water that rushed through the community on Saturday.
Clark said she spoke to residents whose homes have been condemned, and others who described horrifying scenes such as a woman and her child being trapped in their car by floodwater.
“Can you imagine how frightening that must have been?” she said.
The premier also announced one gift for locals affected by the flood: an extension of the usual three-day hotel stay offered by B.C.’s Emergency Social Services. The extensions will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
Clark described the flood, which was triggered after the desert community experienced 10 inches of rain in a two-hour period, as an “unbelievable” event.
“Nobody can ever remember that happening here, and I think people here are really justifiably shocked and reeling from the impact of this,” Clark said.
The village declared a state of emergency after the weekend’s storm, which forced the evacuation of 20 homes and left about 100 people seeking shelter at a community centre.
The province previously announced that financial aid is on the way. Residents can apply for disaster assistance, which covers up to 80 per cent of damage that’s not covered by insurance, for a maximum payout of $300,000.
Some older residents have expressed concerns that, given the age and value of their homes, the province's relief won’t be enough to help them rebuild.
"I am hoping I get some money," said Tony Kovacs, an 84-year-old who was forced from his home. "I will be going to [rent] somewhere and be very quiet until I go underground."
Clark said each application will be reviewed individually, but there are limits to what the government can do.
“We try and err on the side of compassion,” she said.
“This is a program that’s funded by taxpayers all across the province, it’s part of the way we all come together and support each other. It’s been very effective in the past.”
Some of the things not covered by the plan include secondary homes and damage to landscaping.
The tally for the devastation is still being worked out, but officials estimate it will cost Cache Creek at least $400,000, and local property owners millions more.
Financial disaster assistance aid is available to homeowners, tenants, small business owners, farmers, charities and local governments who were unable to obtain insurance.
Residents who plan to file claims must do so with Emergency Management B.C. by Aug. 24.
With files from The Canadian Press and CTV Vancouver’s Kent Molgat
