Surprise flooding hits several Kelowna neighbourhoods

Unexpected flooding along Kelowna's Mill Creek has made a mess of streets and homes in several locations in the city.

Listeners of CBCRadio reportedseeing debris blockages under bridges that hadpushed water over the banks.

City of Kelowna'sdirector of infrastructure later confirmed the reports.

Alan Newcombe said he suspects heavy rain Wednesday in the upper watershed washed small trees, branches and debris maybe even a beaver dam down into the lower creek overnight.

"As the debris came down and jammed up on some low lying foot bridges and things like that, the water backed up and flooded out onto the streets,"said Newcombe.

T.J. Kyle said waterpoured through the front door of his and other Shaugnessey Apartments basement suites, as well as into theparking garage.

Kyle and his family,including a newborn, scrambled to get out and to save what they could.The brown water rose to over a depth of a foot in the unit.

Another resident told CBCthe flooding has destroyed her car.

Police and the city said reports of flooding started coming in just after 3 a.m.Newcombe said crews were dispatched soon after.

Flooding was reported in the Pacific Court and Brooksidearea south of the Capri Mall, along the 400 and 500 blocks of Sutherland Avenue andon Bulman Road near the Kelowna Airport.

Mill Creek flows through Kelowna and flooded in both 2017 and 2018, causing extensive damage. Flood mitigation work estimated to cost $55 million was scheduled to begin this year.

Lumby evacuation alert

Meanwhile, an evacuation alert is in place for areas of the Village of Lumbyalong the Duteau, Bessette and Harris creeks.

The alert for the community, which is about 25 kilometres east of Vernon, was issued on Tuesday when all three creeks were reported to be rising rapidly.

Lumby officials say they are unable to set up an evacuation centre due to COVID-19 restrictions.

An evacuation alert means residents are asked to be prepared to evacuate.

On Thursday the province announced that financial assistance is becoming available for victims of flooding and landslides throughout B.C.

According to a written statement from the province, disaster financial assistance is available for eligible B.C. residents impacted by overland flooding and landslide damages from April 15 to May 3 in the Cariboo Regional District andFraser-Fort George Regional District.

Assistance is available to homeowners, residential tenants, small business owners, farmers, charitable organizations and local government bodies that were unable to obtain insurance to cover disaster-related losses.