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Rockslide report finds high risk as evacuation order near Keremeos expires

The slide damaged a trailer and other structures at the Eagle RV Park on Jan. 16
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The geotechnical assessment of the slide area near Keremeos after Jan. 16’s slide found further potential rock fall areas on the mountainside. (Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen)

After 11 days, the evacuation order for the Eagle RV Park near Keremeos is set to end after a rockslide crossed Highway 3, but residents may not want to move back in yet.

The slide on Jan. 16 narrowly missed the Fas-Gas, but rocks that crossed Highway 3 did damage a trailer, storage building and a Quonset in the rv park. No one was injured, and one cat was rescued from the trailer that day.

The 25 residents of the RV Park were then evacuated while a geotechnical assessment of the slope was worked on for the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen. The evacuation order was issued and is now set to expire on Jan. 27 at 10 a.m.

The geotechnical report was recently completed and provided to the RDOS, who have also shared it and its findings that the area falls into a High to Very High risk of future rock fall, as well as recommendations for mitigation efforts.

READ MORE: VIDEO: Cat survives boulder slamming into trailer during Keremeos rockslide

According to the report, the area has further risks of rock fall, particularly during future seasonal free-thaw periods. Also in the report, unstable blocks were observed up the mountainside, it says.

As a result, long-term permanent mitigation measures are being recommended for the Park to be safely occupied and could include ditch and berm configurations or steel mesh barriers.

The Emergency Support Services (ESS) reception centre at Victory Hall, 427-7th Avenue in Keremeos is now closed.

For residents who may be having difficulty coping, help can be found by calling the Disaster Psychosocial Services Program: 1-888-686-3022

For travel information, please check DriveBC or call 1-800-550-4997.

To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.

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Brennan Phillips

About the Author: Brennan Phillips

Brennan was raised in the Okanagan and is thankful every day that he gets to live and work in one of the most beautiful places in Canada.
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