Keremeos rock slide 'experience was quite surreal' says Nelson realtor
By Bruce Fuhr
Local realtor Brian Euerby has driven the road many times and thought nothing of the rock face above Highway 3 west of Keremeos.
But shortly after lunch Monday Euerby, returning home from a west coast visit to see the grand child in Vancouver, had an uneasy feeling after witnessing a few rocks on the highway.
“I believe I was the first one to encounter a freshly fallen rock slide that may have happened only minutes before my arrival as there was still a good amount of dust still lingering in the air,” the 22-year realtor told The Nelson Daily.
“The experience was quite surreal as I wiggled my way around rocks, many the size of trucks.”
Three vehicles were involved in the incident that left a 150-metre wide debris field. One woman with non-life threatening injuries was been sent to hospital.
The rock slide knocked out transmission lines, causing more than 1,000 homes to lose power.
While Euerby was able to maneuver around the giant boulders, Karen Searle, driving from Penticton to Vancouver, was not as fortunate.
Searle told CBC News she tried to swerve around the obstruction but her car got hung up on a rock. Seconds later a large boulder crashed down on the hood of the car.
“These huge boulders — just bombing down the hill, and bouncing,” said Searle. “You know, the momentum.”
Euerby, who has lived in the Nelson area all his life, didn’t stick around after passing throught the debris area, instead getting out of the line of fire after seeing many power poles adjacent to the highway broken off like a person snapping a pencil in half.
“Once through ground zero and moving closer to Keremeos, all the emergency responders were departing Keremeos, police, fire, and later heavy equipment crews,” Euerby said.
“I do always think of that time on my travels and look at all the rock in that area, realizing now of course, this is and is proven to be an ongoing action of Mother Nature,” he added.
“In my real estate experience, a simple thought but true, a rock did not just grow there, it usually came from somewhere.”
Drive BC said Highway 3 between Keremeos and Hedley, closed since the slide as geotechnicians continue to assess the slope’s stability, could be re-opened Thursday evening
Traffic was being detoured via Highway 5A and the Coquihalla.
Euerby believes the slide may have been anticipated, considering the weather patterns of late.
Then again, he said, “What could you possibly do about it as this area has seen rock fall for likely hundreds, if not thousands of years.”
What he is thankful for is timing.
“Two minutes later and I may not be having this conversation with you.”
