Evacuation alert, state of emergency declared in B.C.’s central Kootenay

NELSON, B.C. — A regional district in southern B.C. has declared a state of local emergency and issued an evacuation alert for all but two of its communities over flooding concerns caused by a weekend storm.

The Regional District of Central Kootenay issued an evacuation alert for all of its communities except for the cities of Castlegar and Nelson late Saturday evening.

A spokesman for the regional district called it an “unprecedented” alert, prompted by concerns about a storm and the melting snowpack.

Evacuation orders have been given for the communities of Crawford Bay, Duhamel Creek and Broadwater Road.

Much of southern B.C.’s Okanagan and Kootenay regions are under flood watches, with residents advised to be ready to leave their homes.

British Columbia’s central Interior has already been the subject of several flood warnings this season.

Gerry Newcomen, the owner of Newkey’s Place and RV Park in Crawford Bay, says the evacuation order is another hit to his business which has struggled with COVID-19 restrictions.

“People were starting to feel comfortable about going out and now this has piled on top of us,” he says.

Newcomen says some residents of the RV Park have refused to leave, despite the order.