‘Massive’ Chilcotin River landslide prompts flood warnings, debris concerns

Emergency officials are expected to supply an update connected Thursday greeting connected nan monolithic landslide blocking nan Chilcotin River and prompting nan removal of dozens of properties.

The update will beryllium provided astatine 11 a.m.

Rocks, mud and clay are blocking nan awesome tributary to nan Fraser River aft a landslide came down overnight Tuesday astir 60 kilometres from Williams Lake.

An removal bid is successful spot for 60 properties, including 12 homes.

A flood warning, flood watch and precocious streamflow advisory are besides successful effect.

Officials opportunity nan stream is blocked and location is an imminent flooding risk.

“Water has been backing up down nan landslide,” Bowinn Ma, B.C.’s curate of emergency guidance and ambiance readiness, said.

“At this clip it is only growing.”

One personification was wounded successful nan descent and was airlifted to nan infirmary pinch non-life-threatening injuries.

Evacuees were told to caput northbound to Highway 20 and spell to Williams Lake.

Loren Doerkson, MLA for nan Cariboo-Chilcotin, said successful an update posted to X that nan debris descent is massive. It is astir 30 metres heavy and 600 metres long.

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The Cariboo Regional District said nan precocious consequence of flash flooding poses a vulnerable threat to group supra and beneath nan descent areas and that a breach could nonstop debris travelling down to Hope and beyond.

The Thompson Nicola Valley Regional District is stopping ferries astatine Lytton and Big Bar owed to nan slide.

The Chilcotin River is simply a awesome tributary to nan Fraser River and supports populations of early-timed chinook, early-summer sockeye, summer-run sockeye, interior Fraser coho and steelhead, respective of which are stocks of conservation concern, according to nan Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

“Adult Chinook and Sockeye salmon are presently coming successful nan Chilcotin River and apt to beryllium affected by this blockage,” nan statement said successful a statement.

“At this constituent successful clip this tract is not safe to entree and it is excessively early to authorities pinch certainty what measures whitethorn beryllium required aliases possible.”

More to come.