(UPDATE: May 2 @ 2:40 pm) – Homes off the northern part of Westside Road are being hit hard by the flooding of Whiteman’s Creek.
NowMedia reporters on site say that the creek is flowing rapidly down Falcon Avenue and causing serious damage to several homes in Parker's Cove.
Shortly before 9 am, the Okanagan Indian Band ordered residents to evacuate.
NowMedia reporters say homes within the evacuation area are completely flooded and some homeowners have returned to the area to set up sandbags to try and protect their properties.
In an update provided at 1 pm, OKIB called this flooding event as a one-in-200-year event given the current water levels and flow in the creek.
“Crews are continuing to mitigate damage to infrastructure and homes in the affected areas,” says the band in a social media post.
“The watersheds continue to be monitored via helicopter by emergency management and climate resilience forestry personnel to gain greater situational awareness.”
The band says it will be monitoring the creek for the next 24 hours and residents should be prepared to evacuate more surrounding areas.
KelownaNow will have a more in-depth story with more details and information from residents later this afternoon.
(UPDATE: May 2 @ 9:50 am) – An evacuation alert issued by the Okanagan Indian Band has now been upgraded to an evacuation order.
The order has been used for residents of Falcon Avenue South, next to Whiteman’s Creek.
This includes residents living at #161-195 Falcon Avenue including 54 and 55, says OKIB in a statement.
Residents are being told to leave their homes immediately. Members of the OKIB, fire department and bylaw officers will be helping get people out of their homes.
Before leaving, people are asked to shut off all gas and electrical appliances, other than fridges and freezers. All windows, doors and gates should be closed. Gates should not be locked.
People are advised to only bring critical items such as medicine, purses, wallets and keys if they are immediately available.
Evacuees are being told to head to #8 Bonneau Road to register at the New Horizons building.
If you need transportation assistance from the area, advise the person providing this notice or call (250) 241-5809.
More information is scheduled to be released around noon on May 2.
(Original story: May 2 @ 7:30 am) – The Okanagan Indian Band (OIB) has issued an evacuation alert in connection to rising waters in Whiteman’s Creek.
It was issued late Monday night, hours after the band issued a warning regarding piling-up debris at the bridge at Westside Road and other large debris reaching Okanagan Lake.
The alert covers:
The OIB said the alert was issued “because of the potential danger to life and health,” and to give residents as much advance notice as possible with the quickly-changing conditions.
“Water continues to rise in the localized area and is nearly hitting the top of the tiger dams, which have been installed as a mitigation effort,” explained a statement released by the OIB.
“Water levels continue to fluctuate and multiple contributing factors could result in mitigation structures failing.”
The OIB urges all affected residents to do the following:
The band is expected to provide another update at noon today.
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