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Kamloops  

IH moves patients, long-term care residents from Merritt facilities

Patients evac'd from Merritt

UPDATE: 5:01 p.m.

With the Coldwater River surging, Interior Health is moving hospital patients and long-term care facility residents out of Merritt and warning anyone who needs emergency care they’ll have to travel to Kamloops or Kelowna.

In a statement on Monday afternoon, IH said it is moving patients out of Nicola Valley Hospital and residents from Coquihalla Gillis House, Nicola Meadows and The Florentine.

“The Nicola Valley Hospital and emergency department is closed until further notice,” the statement said.

“Anyone who requires emergency care should call 911 or visit the emergency department at the Kelowna General Hospital or the Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops.”

Anyone looking to confirm a loved one’s whereabouts can call 1-877-442-2001.

“Interior Health will continue monitoring flood activity across the region,” the statement said.

“Evacuation planning includes supporting anyone who may be in isolation sue to COVID-19 and we will ensure separate arrangements are made for anyone with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 to protect the public from potential exposure.”


UPDATE 3:10 p.m.

The City of Merritt will be closed to everyone as of 4 p.m. Monday.

The municipality has announced that manned barricades will be erected at that time to prevent access to the city.

Barricades are being set up on Voght Street at the City’s northern junction of Highway 5, on Coldwater Road at the entrance from the southern junction of Highway 5, and on Highway 8 at the western entrance to Merritt.

“The barricades will be manned by personnel including RCMP who will ensure that nobody enters the city,” the municipality said in a statement.

If people out of town need to collect friends, family, or possessions that are not currently in a flooded area, they should be in Merritt and leaving again before 4:00 p.m.


UPDATE: 2:21 p.m.

With the scope of the devastation in Merritt not yet known, some in the Nicola Valley city are flocking to higher ground to survey the damage — and to check whether houses are still standing.

Severe rainfall has caused the banks of the Coldwater River to spill in Merritt, inundating bridges in the city and forcing residents to flee.

The City of Merritt was ordered to evacuate at about 10 a.m. on Monday. On Monday afternoon, Castanet met with a number of residents at Merritt Viewpoint, an elevated vantage point near Merritt Golf and Country Club..

Lydell McLeod was there to try to see whether his father’s home in Riverside Mobile Home Park was still standing. He doesn’t think it is.

“We think it’s gone,” he told Castanet. “With the power of the current right beside his house, it’s gone.”

McLeod estimated as many as 30 or 40 homes in the trailer park might have suffered a similar fate, not to mention other mobile homes elsewhere in low-lying parts of Merritt.

“A lot of people are going to have no trailers to live in, by the looks of it,” he said.

McLeod was one of dozens of Merritt residents at the vantage point on Monday afternoon, some with binoculars. Most declined comment when asked by Castanet.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Merritt residents are lining up to register at the emergency social services reception centre on McArthur Island.

When Merritt was ordered to evacuate, its residents were told to try to find a place to stay with friends or family. Those without options were told to go either to Kelowna or Kamloops.


UPDATE: 11:04 a.m.

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District has issued a wide-ranging evacuation alert for properties between 16 Mile and Falls Creek, including Cache Creek, Ashcroft, Lytton and Spences Bridge.

The alert is in addition to an evacuation order for the entire City of Merritt, where residents are being told to travel to Kamloops or Kelowna.

“A heavy rainfall in the Southern Interior poses an imminent threat to people and property,” the TNRD said in its evacuation alert.

Those in the evacuation alert area are encouraged to locate all family members, pack essential items and prepare to move disabled persons, children and neighbours.


UPDATE: 10:35 a.m.

The entire City of Merritt is now under an evacuation order due to surging floodwaters from the Coldwater River, and the city’s mayor is urging residents to stay calm.

According to the city, two of three bridges over the Coldwater River have been inundated and the third is inaccessible.

“High floodwaters have rendered the city’s wastewater treatment plant inoperable for an indefinite period,” the city said in an update announcing the evacuation order.

“Continued habitation of the community without sanitary services presents risk of mass sewage backup and personal health risk.”

Anyone without a place to stay is being encouraged to travel to Kamloops or Kelowna. In Kamloops, evacuees are told to go to the ESS reception centre at 1655 Island Pkwy. In Kelowna, the ESS reception centre is at 1700 Parkinson Way in Kelowna.

“Merritt is and will remain strong,” Mayor Linda Brown said in a statement.

“At this time, we need everyone to proceed in a calm and orderly manner to safe locations in nearby cities. For your own safety, you must now leave Merritt for the time being. Please offer help to your friends, families and neighbours, drive safely and take care of yourselves. We will meet each other again, in our homes where we belong.”

A muster point is being set up at the Nicola Valley Memorial Arena for any Merritt residents with mobility issues or those without access to a vehicle.


UPDATE: 9:35 a.m.

Steps are being taken to deal with thousands of Nicola Valley evacuees in Kamloops and Kelowna in the event the entire City of Merritt is ordered to evacuate.

Evacuations have been ordered for some properties in and around Merritt, and officials are considering further orders.

“Close to 2,000 people have already been evacuated from Merritt,” B.C. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said during a news conference at 9 a.m. on Monday.

“If required, the entire community may have to be evacuated. We are setting up supports in Kelowna and Kamloops.”

Motorists are being encouraged to avoid travelling on Interior highways as the rainfall continues.

Ministry of Transportation representative Paula Cousins said a number of highway closures remain in effect, including along the Coquihalla between Hope and Merritt, Highway 3 east of Hope, the Trans-Canada between Sicamous and Revelstoke and the Trans-Canada near Spences Bridge.

The scope of damage along the Coquihalla Highway is not yet known, but crews will begin geotechnical work to survey the damage on Monday morning. Photos being shared on social media show what looks like major washout damage on the highway.

“We do have early reports that there is some damage along the [Coquihalla] corridor, although it’s too soon to know the full extent of that damage, which is going to determine the length of the closure,” Cousins said.

“Safety is our highest priority.”

Farnworth said the expectation is that Highway 1 will reopen through the Fraser Canyon by 5 p.m. on Monday, but that could change.


UPDATE 8:35 a.m.

The City of Merritt says its wastewater treatment plant has failed.

“Flushing toilets or running a faucet at this time will result in it backing up into your home,” said the municipality in a brief statement.

Residents are being told to not use ANY water until further notice.

Evacuations are underway for the entire neighbourhood of Collettville due to flooding.

Main Street and Voght Street bridges are inundated with water and should not be used for any purpose. Houston Street is threatened with water and therefore the only route into or out of Collettville is at risk.

“If this road is lost then it will not be possible for anyone to get in or out of Collettville except by helicopter. As such, all residents must evacuate Collettville,” the city said.

The Collettville evacuation order is being enforced by the RCMP. Residents are being sent to Kamloops Emergency Support Services located at McArthur Island (1655 Island Parkway).


UPDATE: 7:20 a.m.

The City of Merritt ordered evacuations early Monday following flooding on the Coldwater River.

The river has breached its banks in multiple locations.

City crews were knocking on doors in affected areas as of about 2 a.m., and those in the flood plain were ordered to evacuate immediately.

Further orders were issued and the area expanded as of 4:30 a.m. and again at 5:15 a.m. (see images for affected ares).

"If you are within the 200-year flood plain of the Coldwater River, South of Nicola Avenue, you must evacuate immediately," the city said at 1 a.m.

Residents under evacuation order should register at the ESS Reception Centre at 1950 Mamette Ave. (Merritt Civic Centre).

Fifty beds were made available at the centre, and the city was working on obtaining more.

"We are strongly encouraging residents to billet with friends and family in the community, as this is currently the safest option for evacuees," the city said.

Residents are urged to gather a 72-hour emergency kit and stay away from flood waters.

Meanwhile, all residents are asked to cease non-essential water use immediately, due to the flooding.

"The water processing facility is facing extreme challenges, and every resident can help by stopping their use of water," the city says.


UPDATE: 12:26 a.m.

The City of Merritt says evacuation orders are coming soon, beginning with properties in low-lying areas.

“If you reside in the floodplain area or in a low-lying area, you should prepare and plan to evacuate,” the city said in an update posted to its website at 12:15 a.m. on Monday.

The city is encouraging residents to gather a 72-hour kit and telling them to stay away from floodwaters.

Residents ordered to evacuate can resister at the city’s ESS reception centre at the Merritt Civic Centre, 1950 Mamette Ave.

The city said another update will be coming at about 1:30 a.m.


UPDATE: 11:55 p.m.

Emergency officials in Merritt are preparing to go door-to-door in the event an evacuation is ordered overnight Sunday, with record-setting flows expected on the Coldwater River.

BC River Forecast Centre modelling is predicting flows as high as 220 cubic metres per second through the city, “which would far exceed the highest recorded value for the Coldwater River,” the city said in a late-night bulletin posted to its website.

“The City of Merritt is making preparations for a neighbourhood door-knocking program in the event that an evacuation order is required,” the city bulletin said.

“If an evacuation order is made, residents should register at the ESS reception centre at 1950 Mamette Ave.”


ORIGINAL STORY: 11:18 p.m.

The City of Merritt has issued an evacuation alert for properties near the Coldwater River due to risk of flooding.

All properties on the Coldwater River 200 year floodplain are on alert and residents are being told to prepare to leave on a moment's notice.

The BC River Forecast Centre issued a flood warning for the Coldwater and Tulameen Rivers Sunday evening.

“A significant atmospheric river has made landfall across southern coastal regions of British Columbia,” the provincial government said.

“Observed rainfall amounts since yesterday have been in the 25-100mm range across the Coquihalla, upper Coldwater and Tulameen River watersheds, including approximately 40mm of rainfall at the Blackwall Automated Snow Weather Station,” the forecast centre added in its statement issued at 5:30 p.m.

River levels are expected to rise overnight before easing Monday as rainfall softens.

The River Forecast Centre is predicting the Coldwater River could exceed its historic 1980 peak.



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