Merritt, B.C., residents in evacuation zones ordered to leave ahead of possible flooding
The City of Merritt is urging everyone under an evacuation order to leave the area by 3 p.m. Sunday as rain and snowmelt prompt river levels to rise.
In a statement, the city says anyone in the city south of Nicola Avenue - which has been under an evacuation order since Nov. 15 - should leave by 3 p.m.
The city has been allowing some residents in the area subject to the evacuation order to access their properties between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. daily as part of its recovery plan.
The order remains in place, however, and the city says it will not be sending emergency response personnel to conduct door-to-door notifications on Sunday. It also says it's suspending day access to the affected areas until further notice.
The latest warning for the hard-hit city comes as a result of consultation with the B.C. River Forecast Centre, which has observed a rise in the Coldwater River at the Brookmere gauge, according to the city.
"This provides an approximately an eight-hour lead time until there is a corresponding rise at Merritt," the city's statement reads.
"The current trajectory of the water levels indicates that flooding in Merritt is a possibility."
The entire city was ordered to evacuate earlier this month as a historic rainstorm and swelling rivers inundated the city and rendered its wastewater treatment plant inoperable.
On Sunday, the city said it has been working to protect critical infrastructure, including the wastewater treatment plant and sanitary manholes.
"Flood protection measures are also being placed at strategic locations and engineers continue to assess the river banks."
Those living north of Nicola Avenue are on evacuation alert, and should be prepared to leave on short notice, the city said.
“Despite an incredible effort by city crews to reinforce and restore the banks of the Coldwater River, our community is still vulnerable to flooding," said Merritt Mayor Linda Brown in the statement.
"The river is rising and we are monitoring our river banks and are prepared to do what is necessary to keep our citizens safe.”
Earlier in the day, the Thompson Nicola Regional District issued an evacuation order for 56 properties to the west of the City of Merritt. The district warned that rising waters posed a threat to a bridge in the affected area.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.