North Kootenay Lake residents begin clean-up from flooding
By Nelson Daily Staff
Sunny skies greeted residents at the North End of Kootenay Lake as the community in and around Meadow Creek began the arduous task of cleaning up following recent flooding in the area.
“It’s sunny, which is nice,” Jen Hadikin told The Nelson Daily Sunday from Drifters Restaurant on Highway 31 in Meadow Creek.
Thursday the North Kootenay Lake region was hit with upwards of 80 millimeters of rain, which caused massive flooding of Hamill Creek and impacted transportation in and out of the area.
A doublewide trailer was ripped off its foundation and engulfed by the fast moving waters after Hamill Creek changed its course.
The access road to Hamill Creek was destroyed leaving campers and some residents north of the bridge stranded.
Hamill Creek is located off Highway 31 and affects transportation on the Duncan Lake road.
“I think it may have been just too much water coming too fast from the rain,” Hadikin said.
“There weren’t a lot of trees in the creek. It looks like just an overabundance of water . . . possibly mudslides up above because the water was very muddy.”
The doublewide trailer is currently resting on an island in Hamill Creek.
Hadikin said there will be a rescue mission Sunday afternoon to help the residents salvage what they can from their home.
“They’re going to see if they can salvage anything from the home by making a human chain to the trailer,” Hadikin explained. “They don’t want anyone inside because the trailer is still unstable.”
“It’s so sad for the people because not only is they house gone but so is their property,” she adds.
Bill Macpherson of the Regional District of Central Kootenay Emergency Operations Centre said officials are making contact with the family who lost the home and has established contact with other permanent residents.
The EOC has also been in contact with a number of stranded campers in Glacier Creek and Duncan Island Estates, due to the Hamill Creek Bridge washout.
Power and telephone was restored by Friday.
According to the Drive BC website http://www.drivebc.ca, Highway 31, 13kilometers north of Kaslo near Schroeder Creek is reduced to single-lane, alternating traffic as is Highway 31A west of Kaslo due to a washout.
Motorists can expected upwards of 30 minute delays on Highway 31A.
On the East Shore of Kootenay Lake on Highway 3A there is a washout 24 kilometers west of Creston near Sidar.
The road is reduced to single-lane alternating traffic.
Macpherson said a number of small water systems have been impacted or damaged.
“Several slides on area creeks have pushed debris into Kootenay Lake — boaters are advised to exercise caution due to logs and debris,” Macpherson added.
Environment Canada is reporting a chance of a thundershower Sunday and Monday and showers continuing through Thursday.
The flooding in the Meadow Creek area comes almost one year after a massive mudslide ripped through the tiny hamlet of Johnsons Landing, killing four people.
Johnsons Landing is situated 20 kilometers south of Meadow Creek.
