Evacuation order issued as Tulameen River swells

Photo: Tulameen and District Fire Department

UPDATE: 12 a.m.

The Town of Princeton has issued evacuation orders for low-lying properties near the Tulameen River.

Find the full list here.

The Wooden Bridge is also closed until water levels subside. All traffic is being rerouted to Highway 5A.

The Emergency Support Services centre at 148 Old Hedley Road is open.

They can be reached at 250-273-0143.

UPDATE 10:20 p.m.

The Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen has issued an evacuation order for 34 properties along the Tulameen River.

Residents at the impacted properties are being asked to leave immediately. A full list of addresses and an evacuation map is here.

“Search and Rescue under the direction of RCMP will be expediting notifications and enforcement,” the RDOS said late Sunday.

All evacuees are asked to register online with the Emergency Support Services even if you do not require referrals such as housing or other services: ess.gov.bc.ca

The Town of Princeton has also issued an evacuation alert for low-lying properties near the Tulameen River.

The level of the Tulameen River has risen more than three metres this weekend, according to federal data.

ORIGINAL 9:20 p.m.

The Regional District of the Okanagan-Similkameen has activated its emergency operations centre due to flooding in the Tulameen area in Electoral Area H.

"The Tulameen River has continued to rise and the heavy rain is continuing. Not to worry anyone, just to prepare everyone. The Emergency Plan is, if there is a need to evacuate due to flooding or a need for help sandbagging, the TDFD hall siren will be ringing continually and we will post on as many sites as possible," said the Tulameen and District Fire Department.

The BC River Forecast Centre has issued flood warnings for three rivers in the Southern Interior.

The forecast centre says The Coquihalla, Tulameen and Coldwater rivers have all "risen rapidly" on Sunday.

For more information on the EOC click here.