Wednesday February 11, 2015 www.saobserver.net $1.25 GST INCLUDED
Uplifting voices Singers from the Watoto Children’s Choir perform at Five Corners Church on Friday, Feb. 6. The choir is a group of African children’s choirs based in Uganda. Each is composed of about 22 children in a program formed to help the overwhelming number of orphaned children in the region. EVAN BUHLER/OBSERVER
Weather prompts slides, flooding Shuswap: House washes away in Anglemont, mud and debris cause problems on highway. By Martha Wickett & Barb Brouwer OBSERVER STAFF
Warm weather, heavy rain and melting snow has resulted in flooding in pockets of the Shuswap. Witnesses say a section of road at the upper end of Vickers Trail in Anglemont Estates gave way on Sunday, Feb. 8, destroying a seasonal home on Hudson Road. The house was pushed about 12 meters and turned sideways by the mud. Along with the house, power lines were downed by the landslide of debris. The Anglemont Volunteer Fire
Department was called in because of trees burning over the electrical lines. Barriers have been put up to stop traffic from entering the area. Cliff Doherty, Shuswap Emergency Program co-ordinator, cautions people not to travel past the road barricades as portions of the road have disappeared. On Monday, Feb. 9, Highway 97A was closed in both directions near Two Mile, between Swansea Point and Sicamous Creek, about 4:30 p.m. Janet McQuhae, fire chief of the Swansea Point Volunteer Fire Department, said a minor mud flow came down a driveway and flowed
onto the highway. A Drive BC update noted the mudslide meant the highway was reduced to single-lane, alternating traffic while a loader removed the debris. The road was partially closed for about two hours. In Silver Creek, residents are also dealing with flooding. Doherty said residents near the Silver Creek town centre have asked for sandbags and sand to put between their houses and the hillside to divert water. As well, three other calls to the
This week A Sorrento mother gave birth to twins in a moving pickup. Check out her amazing tale on A3. The ’Backs extended their winning streak to five games over the weekend. See A16.
See Warm on page A2
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED
Damage: This summer home in Anglemont was destroyed when a section of road gave way Sunday.
Index Opinion ....................... A6 View Point .................. A7 Life & Times ............... A8 Sports................A15-A18 Arts & Events ... A19-A21 Time Out................... A22 Vol. 108, No. 6, 40 pages