Okanagan Falls residents on evacuation alert watching creek levels closely

Some residents in Okanagan Falls are watching water levels in Shuttleworth Creek closely, after an evacuation alert was issued for properties directly adjacent to the creek, from 4301 McLean Creek Road to Cedar Street.

An evacuation alert means residents in the affected area need to start preparing for the possibility of an evacuation.

“An evacuation alert is issued when certain criteria are met,” said Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen director for area “D,” Matt Taylor.

“We really hope homeowners take a look at our website and refresh themselves as to what’s the next step if it does go south a little bit and an evacuation order is issued.”

For the past several days, Okanagan Falls resident Dominique Kruger has been closely watching the water levels in the creek, as her home is mere feet from the raging water.

“I am shaking right now,” described resident Dominique Kruger. “It is nerve-wracking and I’m worried not just for my own place, but everybody else who’s down river, and I’m just thinking of all the devastation.”

Kruger adds she takes the evacuation alert very seriously — packing extra clothes and essentials she may need if she’s forced to flee her home.

“We’ve got a few bags ready at the door to go, the hitch is on the truck so that if we need to, we can grab our trailer and go,” said Kruger.

For other residents like Sholeh Pickell and her family, this scene is all too familiar. They were forced to evacuate in 2018, while their home was battered by flood waters — and she fears it may happen again.

“I’m nervous,” said resident Sholeh Pickell. “I feel like I don’t want to go through another flood. It was really hard — It was traumatic actually.”

While it’s an understandably difficult time for many in the affected area, the mother of two is just trying to stay positive and hopes the water levels in Shuttleworth Creek will soon recede.

“Just trying to keep a brave face on for them, but yes definitely we check the creek multiple times a day, we call ourselves ‘creek geeks,’ and it’s our routine now,” described Pickell. “We just come and see, like how’s the bank and is there still room to go up.”

Many residents we spoke with say they’ve been feeling on edge about the situation, but unfortunately, there isn’t any reprieve in the forecast — just yet.

“We’re tracking rain in the forecast across the Okanagan Valley,” said Global News meteorologist, Yvonne Schalle.

“The potential is there to see some heavier pockets, we could see thunderstorms, and anywhere from 15-35 millimetres.”

For more information on the properties under evacuation order, click here.

by Global News