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Updated —Kelowna under water: Crews are rapidly trying to get control of overflowing creek

Crews are trying to mitigate rising water across the city, but flowing water and rainfall is wreaking havoc …
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Update 8:10 p.m.

Killiney Beach is now closed to the public until further notice.

Check out the map to see exactly where things are happening.

Update 6:30 p.m.

An Evacuation Order has been issued for two properties on Lakeshore Road – 6214 and 6490 due to a landslide. The landslide has crossed the road blocking access and egress to six properties at the very south end of Lakeshore Road – 6550, 6620, 6850, 6950, 7050, 7990, 8000 and 8888 Lakeshore Road. 2002 Ethel Street is also on Evacution Order.

A planned emergency power outage to repair a power pole along Gellatly Road has been delayed until tomorrow morning to ensure safe conditions for BC Hydro workers. BC Hydro plans to replace the pole that was compromised due to flooding of nearby Smith Creek beginning at 8 a.m. on Saturday, May 6. BC Hydro anticipates 437 customers along Gellatly Road will be without power for four to six hours.

Update 5:04 p.m.

The Central Okanagan Emergency Centre says an emergency social services reception centre has been set up at the Salvation Army centre at 1480 Sutherland Avenue in Kelowna. It will provide assistance to residents evacuated due to the flooding. Also, the emergency centre reports it has now run out of sandbags at local firehalls. It says it will make a public announcement when supplies are restocked. For more information and updates, go to cordemergency.ca.

Update: 4:55 p.m

A mudslide has been reported in the 8400-block of Lakeshore Road at the south end of Kelowna.

No injuries or property damage was initially reported but the road is blocked. Equipment is being called in to clear the debris, which came downthe hillside above the road.

First reports say the amound of debris appears to be substantial. The road, however, is not believed to have been damaged.

Original story:

Across Kelowna, properties that back onto Mill Creek are overflowing with rapidly rising water, creating dangerous situations at both businesses and homes.

Various municipal crews are currently spread thin, trying to mitigate already high water as rain steadily beats down.

One point of concern is Lindhal Street, near Sutherland Avenue. The Capital News was streaming live from the site, where a bridge looked posed to wash out and homes were threatened with rising water.

Of note was a nearby gas line. Mitigating measures are being implemented.

RELATED: FLOOD WATCH

Heading north, car dealerships on Enterprise Way are getting flooded and businesses on Adams Road were a point of concern as well.

“Mill Creek, on the back of these (Adams Road) properties, has flooded its bank and it’s continuing to erode,” said Captain Dave Leimart, with the Kelowna Fire Department.

Now that the creek’s banks have given way, most of the businesses along the industrial stretch are at risk of being flooded and at least one is already bucketing water from within. To try and keep it as safe as possible, the fire department has turned off power.

“We are just assessing whether there’s anything we can do to mitigate a little bit of the damage,” said Leimert.

So far, he said, “it’s not looking good.”

“The ground is so saturated there’s nowhere left for the water to go. The storm drains are all backed up now, too,” he said. “If we get more rain this afternoon it’s going to make a bad situation worse.”

Crews are on site in the industrial area to see if there are any vantage points the city can take to get a handle on the situation. That would include bringing in sand or gravel, or getting to the storm system and pumping them out.

“The situation at this particular location there’s not much we can do, because the bank is completely eroded and pumping the storm drain system isn’t going to make a difference because it’s filling up as fast as it’s getting pumped out,” said Leimert. “Probably faster.”

Beyond Kelowna the situation is no more ideal, local government crews and emergency responders continue to deal with instances of localized flooding in Kelowna, West Kelowna, the Ellison area and Fintry off of Westside Road.

The precautionary Evacuation Order remains in place for Fintry Provincial Park. The caretaker and approximately five campers are out of the park and are being helped by volunteers with Emergency Support Services.

Sandbags are available at local firehalls for residents concerned about protecting their property from flooding.

“Property owners are responsible for taking steps and having the necessary equipment to protect their properties from flooding,” said Bruce Smith, of the CORD Emergency Operation Centre in a press release.

The City of Kelowna is delivering sand to the corner of Richter Street and Rowcliffe Avenue and to the Cook Street boat launch for residents who need to fill sand bags to protect their property from flooding.

Sand and bags are also available for West Kelowna residents at Falcon Park on Green Bay Road, Casa Loma Beach Park on Casa Loma Road and Pebble Beach Park at the end of Whitworth Road. If more sand and bags are required please call the City’s Parks Department at 778-797-8849.

North Westside residents may fill sandbags at the main firehall in Killiney Beach.

A number of roads in the Central Okanagan have been affected by flooding. In the City of Kelowna Bulman Road is closed from Shadow Ridge golf course to Heron Road. In the City of West Kelowna, Gellatly Road is closed from the Canyon Ridge subdivision to the intersection with Boucherie Road due to flooding of Powers and Smith Creeks. And Westside Road has single lane alternating traffic near the North Westside Firehall at Short’s Creek as debris is being cleared from the creek.

Approximately 6,000 BC Hydro customers in West Kelowna may experience temporary power outages as crews repair and replace damaged infrastructure.

RELATED: POWER OUTAGES IN WEST KELOWNA

Anyone noticing a potential problem or a flooding concern is asked to call the Kelowna Fire Department at 250-469-8801.

For up to date information on the situation including a map and to sign up for e-updates, visit www.cordemergency.ca.

Information will also be provided via the www.twitter.com/CO_Emergencyopen_in_new and www.facebook.com/CORDEmergencyopen_in_new.

For more information contact the Information Office at 250-469-8490 or 1-877-569-8490 (toll-free).

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