Authorities in British Columbia have issued an evacuation order for an area just north of where the Chilcotin River meets the Fraser River because of the danger of flooding caused by a landslide.
In a news release Sunday night, officials with the Cariboo Regional District say residents must leave immediately and that people who choose to stay do so at their own risk.
The evacuation order covers 3.5 square kilometres.
A massive landslide last week at Farwell Canyon located about 22 kilometres south of Williams Lake dammed the Chilcotin River and created a lake about 11 kilometres long behind the slide.
On Sunday, British Columbia’s Emergency Management Department said water is expected to start moving over the top of the massive landslide site within hours.
The department urged people to stay away from the Chilcotin and Fraser rivers because of the threat from the landslide.
The River Forecast Centre issued flood warnings for the Chilcotin River upstream and downstream of the landslide near Farwell Canyon.
A flood watch is in effect for the Fraser River from the Chilcotin River confluence downstream to Hope, B.C.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 5, 2024.