Flooding triggers evacuation orders and alerts for parts of B.C.'s Central Interior

Flooding has prompted evacuation orders and alerts for parts of B.C.'s Interior.

The B.C. River Forecast Centre has issued a flood warning for tributary rivers and streams around Chilako and areas southwest of Prince George, Cariboo and Chilcotin.

In Williams Lake, 86 homes in a mobile home park are under an evacuation alert and 11 industrial properties are under evacuation order.

"We have 100 to 200 year flows going through the river valley right now," said Erick Peterson, the fire chief and emergency operations centre director with the City of Williams Lake.

Erosion caused by the flooding is impacting the city's sewage treatment plant and lagoons in theriver valley.

"In a worst case scenario, it's a complete loss of the sewage system for the city of Williams Lake," Peterson told Daybreak Kamloops host Shelley Joyce.

Flood warnings are also in effect for the tributary rivers and streams around Quesnel, Alexis Creek, Anahim Lake, Cache Creek and surrounding areas.

Meanwhile, officials at the Cache Creek Emergency Operations Centre say they are keeping a close eye on the river.

SpokespersonWendy Coomber saidriver levels are forecast to rise a little more, and the RCMP would conduct drive-bys throughout the night to keep an eye on the community.

'Something I've never seen before'

Officials with the Cariboo Regional District said Monday that 48 properties are either under evacuation alerts or orders.

"I'm hearing from a lot of the old timers in this area that this is going to be one of the worst [years]," district chair Margo Wagner said.

Ingemar Kallman, 56, has been ranching near 150 Mile all his life. He called this year's flooding "incredible."

"It's something I've never seen before," he said.

He's had to move his cattle and equipment to higher grounds, but says some of his neighbours are struggling to get their livestock to higher areas for spring grazing.

Kallman is already taking stock of what work will need to be done after this spring's floods; fencing to rebuild, bridges to repair and other structural issues to check.

"Until the water goes down, we're still a bit in the dark as to what we're going to be dealing with," he said.