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B.C. premier checks out flooding in Okanagan

Christy Clark pays low-key vistis to Penticton, Summerland and Central Okanagan Tuesday.
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B.C.’s premier got a close-up and personal look at flooding in the Okanagan Tuesday.

During a low key series of visits during the day, Christy Clark was shown flooding in Penticton, Summerland, and two low-lying areas in her own Kelowna-West riding—Green Bay in West Kelowna and City Park in Kelowna.

While in West Kelowna and Kelowna Clark also met with their respective mayors and other city officials and talked about the provincial role in responding to the flooding.

Her staff said she wanted to make sure all the cities are getting what they need to respond to rising water levels in area creeks and in Okanagan Lake.

On Monday, Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre officials said the public cost of responding to the floods has now reached $6 million, with most of that money coming from the province through Emergency Management B.C.

As requests are made to EMBC for equipment and assistance, they are approved, said EOC director Ron Mattiussi. He was on hand in City Park Tuesday to show the premier new mapping the EOC has done identifying low-lying locations along the lakeshore where flooding is a serious threat.

The media was not advised of Clark’s flood viewing plans in advance and only learned of it after the fact.

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Premier Christy Clark is shown flood protection measures being used in the Green Bay area of West Kelowna by fire chief Jason Brolund. —Image credit: contributed