The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) has this afternoon (June 13) issued an evacuation alert for 10 properties in the Windermere Creek area in Windermere due to the ongoing flooding and the potential for unpredictable severe weather.

“With the potential for heavy rain, particularly associated with isolated thunderstorms, there could be sudden changes in the creek. As a result, we want to ensure people are taking the steps to prepare themselves to leave on a moment’s notice should conditions worsen,” said RDEK Information Officer Loree Duczek. “Now is the time to think about where you would go in the event of an evacuation. Make a list of friends or family you could stay with. Residents are encouraged to put together important papers (like insurance papers), medications, valuables, supplies for children and pets, and other important items so that should they be asked to evacuate, they are ready to go.”

The emergency in-stream work continues today and a second piece of equipment will be on the ground starting tomorrow morning as efforts focus on dredging the channel from Victoria Avenue to the lake and removing the sediment.

Extensive sandbagging has also been undertaken along both sides of the creek in this area. While there is some overland flooding on low-lying properties, there are no homes currently impacted by flood waters.

Continued updates and information will be posted via the RDEK’s email groups, website and social media pages. To sign up for the email notification or the Evacuation Notification Alert system, visit www.rdek.bc.ca.

Lead image: Map showing area under evacuation alert. RDEK map

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