As flooding continues in the Nazko region, the BC government has said it’s ready to help Quesnel at a moment’s notice if something happens close to town.
“The province has told us if it gets to the point where we need diking that they have inflatable diking that we can install in quite short notice and they can get it up to us within 24 hours and they say they have a huge supply,” says City Manager Byron Johnson.
He further explains the differences compared to the dikes Quesnel used the last time there was flooding.
“The last time we installed temporary dikes we actually installed what are called gabeons, which are wire baskets that we fill up with rocks and sands, and then we build earth dikes around them. Those take a long time to install, they are really costly and then they take a long time to remove them and get it right back to the regular condition, pre-flooding.”
While nothing appears to be imminent, Johnson says City staff are taking all measurements and working out details in the most vulnerable areas, including the west side.
“There’s always areas within the city what are most susceptible to flooding. What our staff is doing right now is taking measurements of all the exact length of this temporary diking that we would need to install, the inflatable diking, and making sure that the province has exactly what we need on hand.”
Residents are being asked to stay away from river banks and off walking trails like Baker Creek, as they are being considered dangerous.
– with files from George Henderson, My Cariboo Now
If you’re evacuated from your primary residence due to flooding, you may receive Emergency Social Services (ESS), like food, lodging, & clothing, for up to 72 hours or longer depending on your needs. Learn more about ESS here: https://t.co/7gXnF2YdvY #BCflood #2018freshet
— Emergency Info BC (@EmergencyInfoBC) May 2, 2018
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