WHITEHORSE — As improved weather in British Columbia eases flood concerns, Yukon has launched a tactical evacuation of a small community threatened by the rising waters of the Klondike River.
The Yukon Emergency Co-ordination Centre says the evacuation of about 20 properties in Rock Creek, about 500 kilometres north of Whitehorse, was ordered as a flood warning for the Klondike River was issued due to snowmelt and recent rain.
A statement from the centre says levels in Rock Creek and at the Trondek Hwechin Farm are similar to previous ice jam flooding and might rise more before peaking late Wednesday.
The main road through the area is closed for at least the next 24 hours while localized downpours around Mayo, coupled with rapid snowmelt, have submerged the only road in and out of that community of about 200.
This comes as most flood watches and high streamflow advisories in British Columbia were lifted Wednesday.
The River Forecast Centre is maintaining flood watches for a portion of the middle Fraser River and its tributaries east of Quesnel as well as for the South Thompson and Shuswap rivers and numerous tributaries through the Shuswap region.
It says warmer and drier conditions are anticipated in B.C., through the rest of this week and flood hazards have diminished as snowmelt and rainfall runoff has eased.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 24, 2023.
The Canadian Press
