The Seabird Island (Sq'éwqel) community issued a Fraser River update concerning the landslide blockage on the Chilcotin River on Tuesday (Aug. 6) afternoon.
Local authorities expect high streamflow waters to reach the community this afternoon between 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. Residents and visitors are advised to get off the river immediately for their own safety. Large logs and debris are expected and the river may go up by as much as a metre.
Waters near Lytton were expected to hit 3.3. metres above normal early this morning, Boston Bar 2.6 metres above normal as of 11 a.m. and Hope about one metre above normal as of 3:30 p.m. Flooding is not expected in these areas or further downstream, but circumstances can change.
Seabird Island authorities indicate there is a higher risk of landslides and bank erosion at this time.
"I cannot underline enough how extremely unstable and dangerous the valley is right now," Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness Bowinn Ma said Monday afternoon (Aug.5). "Now is not the time to go boating. Now is not the time to go take a look at the water."
– With files from Kemone Moodley
More to come.
