Mud slide cripples Seymour Arm water system, high water closes some B.C. roads

Evacuation alerts issued along Fraser River Evacuation alerts are in effect along the Fraser River, where water is rising after this week's rainstorms.

Vancouver — High water and wet weather kept much of British Columbia on flood watch Saturday, with mudslides, washouts and road closures hitting rural communities.

The Columbia Shuswap Regional District says a mudslide caused largely by recent rains wiped out a water system that supplies water to about 500 people at Seymour Arm, located about 65 kilometres south of Salmon Arm.

The regional district says in a news release there were no injuries in Thursday's mudslide and crews are assessing the damage and making plans to restore the water system.

Drive BC says a bridge washout Saturday on Horsefly Road near the central B.C. community of Horsefly closed traffic in both directions and there is no detour currently available.

The road closure near Horsefly, located about 70 kilometres northeast of Williams Lake, was one of several reports of closures or detours due to flooding and high water.

Drive BC says high water also flooded several rural roads northwest of Kamloops, closing or restricting access to rural residents living near Cache Creek and Clinton.

B.C.'s River Forecast Centre has also posted flood warnings for large areas along the province's major rivers, including the Fraser and South and North Thompson rivers.

The Fraser Valley Regional District says it is monitoring the Fraser River at Mission and is warning residents outside the river dike system to prepare for potential floods. A total of 38 properties have been placed on alert. Properties located inside the dike system are not expected to be heavily impacted.

The FVRD says the Fraser River reached its peak level of 5.91 metres on June 29.

“Flows and water levels are beginning to recede; however, heavy rainfall in the Fraser River headwaters is leading to an overall rise of the Fraser River throughout the weekend with peaks expected on Monday or Tuesday next week,” the regional district said in a release.

Elsewhere, there continues to be a high streamflow advisory for the Upper Columbia River; a floodwatch for the North and South Thompson River and its tributaries; the Salmon and Bonaparte rivers; the Peace River; the Middle Fraser near Williams Lake; the Chilcoten River and its tributaries; and the Fraser River from Prince George to Boston Bar.

There is a flood warning for the Upper Fraser River, including “the mainstem at Prince George,” and for the Quesnel River.

Earlier this week, flooding and washouts closed Hwy. 1 near Revelstoke, however the road has now been repaired and is open.

With files from The Canadian Press