‘Imminent risk’: Evacuation order issued due to Chilcotin River landslide

The Cariboo Regional District has issued an evacuation order for 34 properties in the Chilcotin River area due to a landslide.

The order covers 7,269 hectares.

Everyone in the area must leave immediately and take available routes north to Highway 20 and east into Williams Lake.

The landslide is located in the Farewell Canyon area, about 30 kilometres upstream of the Chilcotin’s confluence with the Fraser River and about 90 kilometres southwest of Williams Lake.

According to Cariboo Central Search and Rescue, one person was hurt in the slide, but the patient was airlifted to the hospital in Williams Lake.

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The Cariboo Regional District says the river is fully blocked and there is an “imminent risk” of flooding due to the slide.

“We’re concerned about anyone that is on the river because the river is blocked,” Gerald Pinchbeck with the Cariboo Regional District said.

“There is a high risk of flash flooding. We are working with RCMP and Tŝilhqot’in national government rangers to coordinate notification to anyone on the river and get them off the river.”