The threat of further flooding in the Peace River region of northeastern B.C. has spurred an evacuation alert, just two weeks after rainfall swamped the area and caused millions of dollars in damage.
Residents have been told they may need to evacuate their homes at a moment's notice should rainfall continue to batter the region, where Environment Canada has forecast another 115 millimetres of rain could fall by Saturday afternoon.
The alert comes just weeks after storms flooded homes and washed out roads in the area -- located near the Alberta-British Columbia border – and forced the closure of Highway 97 between Chetwynd and Mackenzie Junction. The highway just reopened on Wednesday.
With the ground still saturated, officials are worried the most recent rainfall could cause new flooding in low-lying areas, as well as near rivers, creeks, lakes and hillsides.
The South Peace region, south of Dawson Creek, is expected to be hardest hit. The evacuation alert has also been extended to waterside residents in the communities of Gundy, Tupper, Tomslake, One Island Lake and Kelly Lake.
Public Safety Minister Shirley Bond said Friday that the emergency program is prepared to step in if floods hit the area, adding that officials have already been looking at venues in nearby towns that could host displaced families.
The province has already offered to help fund repairs on damaged homes, businesses, roads and bridges that were damaged in the deluge two weeks ago.
With files from The Canadian Press
