I N S I D E : Flood stories and photos. Pages 7-10
Journal ASHCROFT t CACHE CREEK
Volume 120 No 22 PM # 400121123
The
Thursday, May 28, 2015
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Residents urged to be patient
Premier sees disaster first hand Premier Christy Clark was in Cache Creek on Tuesday to survey the damage caused by Saturday’s freak storm. She and MLA Jackie Tegart talked to residents affected by the flooding and looked at the broken infratructure on Stage Rd. Public Works Foreman Steve Peacock (blue shirt) and Cache Creek Mayor John Ranta accompanied them.
It’s normally brushfires that Relief Assistance from the provworry residents in Cache Creek at ince. That was announced Monthis time of year, but last Saturday day afternoon and will pay qualievening an hour-long storm of rain, fying claimants 80 per cent of the hail, thunder and lightning battered value of their claims to a maximum the town. of $300,000. Hail fell from the sky while Several groups and inviduals water coursed down the surround- are also collecting donations for ing hillsides and then streets, etch- the residents impacted by the flood. ing new pathways and leaving a The Village called a public path of muddy destruction. No in- meeting on Sunday night to rejuries were reported, but at least assure the public that help was three residences moved off of their coming and to answer questions. foundations and left uninhabitable, “This is a disaster,” said Mayone trailer park evacuated with or John Ranta. “An historic event. more under evacuation alert, 126 There’s been nothing like this in residents had registered with local the 45 years I’ve lived here.” Emergency Social Services, repreThe village has placed seversenting 60 impacted homes. al other homes along Old Cariboo Several other homes, the Road on evacuation alert while it school and at least two restau- conducts a slope assessment and rants reported water and mud dam- analysis of the surrounding hills age, mostly to basements. Storm- to find out if there will be further caused torrents severely undercut a sloughing. large part of Stage Rd., a portion of Many of those who packed the the bridge crossing Hwy 1 by the hall for the meeting wondered what Husky, and several private proper- they were supposed to do with the ties. debris they’d cleaned up, and those The rapidly falling rain rolled who were evacuated wondered off the hillsides and gathered mud when they would be allowed home. and debris, flowing into dry creekRanta said the analysis of the beds and then onto Stage Rd. where hills would hopefully take no more it flowed like another river, spread- than four eays. If the hills were ing mud and debris along its path stable, those residents who were out to Hwy 1. Cache creek over- evacuated because of them would flowed because of the debris build- be allowed to return home up, sending eight inches of mud He told the audience that getinto the nearby firehall and cover- ting everything straightened out ing that section of Quartz Rd. On was going to be a long process. Old Cariboo Rd., the mud and rock came off the hills lining the road and pushed trailers in the Riverside Premier Christy Clark, along with MLA trailer park away from Jackie Tegart, visited Cache Creek on Tuesday, their foundations. looking at the worst hit areas of Saturday’s flood Residents quick- and talking to residents. ly found out that their “Unbelievable is the only work I can think insurance compan- of,” said Clark. “It’s a desert community. People ies would not cov- don’t expect to see these huge events. They are er damaged caused justifiably shocked. by a flood. However, She announced that her government would the Vilage applied for be extending Emergency Social Services supand received Disaster port for those residents affected by the flood.
Clark sees damage
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