The Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine (RDKS) has declared a local state of emergency and an evacuation order for parts Electoral Area C including New Remo and Old Remo because of rising Skeena River waters.
The state of local emergency will remain in force for seven days, unless cancelled earlier by the RDKS.
The declaration empowers the regional district and its employees to “do all acts and implement all procedures that are considered necessary to prevent or to alleviate the effects of the emergency,” pursuant to the Emergency Program Act.
The RDKS placed Old and New Remo under an evacuation alert yesterday, notifying residents that they should be prepared to leave their homes immediately should an evacuation order be issued.
According to that alert, evacuees are requested to check in at the reception centre located at the Thornhill Community Centre at 3091 Century St. The centre can also be reached by phone at 250-641-2443.
The RDKS is also monitoring the Kalum River at Dutch Valley, which is susceptible to flooding. The RDKS has declared an evacuation alert for Dutch Valley. Sandbags are available by self-serve at the Thornhill Volunteer Fire Department at 3128 Hwy 16 East. Residents and businesses in low-lying areas are encouraged to take steps to flood-proof their structures by removing valuable items, finding alternative locations for livestock and finding accommodations for themselves.
Residents can view the RDKS evacuation alert and maps from June 2 on its website.
Meanwhile, according to a City of Terrace Media Release, based on data on on-site observations, the flood risk for Terrace remains stable and may have crested. The city has not issued an evacuation alert.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story listed Usk as part of the Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine’s state of local emergency. The state of local emergency does not apply to Usk.
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