B.C. planning for worst-case scenario if Chilcotin River landslide bursts
globalnews.caRivers can be a fun place to beat the summer heat.
This August long weekend, though, B.C. officials are warning residents and visitors to stay away from the Chilcotin and Fraser rivers because of a potential rush of water from a landslide in the Central Interior.
As of Saturday morning, emergency alerts are still in place because of the remote but massive landslide that’s blocking the Chilcotin River.
Located around 100 km southwest of Williams Lake, the landslide came down Wednesday, damming the river and creating a temporary lake about 11 km long.
The landslide is 22 km upstream of the Farwell Canyon Bridge, which is around 82 km from Williams Lake. The Chilcotin River eventually feeds into the Fraser River.
The fear is if the dam suddenly breaks, the downstream rush of water could be disastrous.
“We cannot emphasize enough how important it is for people living in the area and downstream of the slide to remain vigilant and stay away from the river for their own safety,” said Nathan Cullen, the province’s water and land resources minister.
UPDATE: A <a href=«https://twitter.com/hashtag/BC?src=hash&ref_src=» https:>#BC
Emergency Alert has been issued by the Province of BC. Evacuate IMMEDIATELY if you are anywhere on the Chilcotin River or along its banks from the Hanceville Bridge to the Fraser River. The Chilcotin River <a href=«https://twitter.com/hashtag/Landslide?src=hash&ref_src=» https:>#Landslide poses a threat to human life. More info:…
— Emergency Info BC (@EmergencyInfoBC) <a href=«https://twitter.com/EmergencyInfoBC/status/1819562942494642674?ref_src=» https:>August 3, 2024
B.C.’s Emergency Management Minister, Bowinn Ma, says the best-case scenario is a gentle clearing (water flowing over the dam’s top) that
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