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
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
BREAKING Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Unacceptable': Trudeau reacts after AFN chief says headdress taken from plane cabin
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief said her headdress was taken from an airplane cabin this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident 'unacceptable' and a 'mistake' on the part of Air Canada.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
'Violation': CSIS had officer investigated after she reported a superior raped her
A CSIS officer's allegations that she was raped repeatedly by a superior in agency vehicles set off a harassment inquiry, but also triggered an investigation into her that concluded the alleged attacks were a “misuse” of agency vehicles by the woman.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.