The blockage of the Chilcotin River by a massive landslide southwest of Williams Lake has triggered the issuance of flood watch and flood warnings for the Fraser River and its northern tributary. An emergency alert has since been sent out, urging those in the impacted areas to leave immediately.Officials have warned that the situation is unpredictable, and that if the dam created by the landslide breaks, it could spell danger for people and infrastructure alike. So far only one person, a rafter, has had to be rescued from the area.."If this dam were to break, it is possible that dozens of evacuation orders and alerts will be issued along both rivers," Emergency Management and Climate Readiness Minister Bowinn Ma said on Thursday. "This is a dynamic situation, and we must be prepared for the worst-case scenario right now."As Global News reports, Williams Lake First Nation chief Willie Sellars toured the site of the landslide by helicopter on Wednesday and Thursday. Following his second aerial expedition, he noted that the backup of debris had nearly doubled, with one side of the dam "completely dried up" for hundreds of meters.In a statement, the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship said that the landslide had occurred near Farwell Canyon, 18 km southeast of Hanceville, a small town which is itself 95 km southwest of Williams Lake.The ministry noted that should the dam give way, "a surge of water would rapidly move down the Chilcotin River and into the Fraser River," at which point, "water levels could increase extremely quickly along the Chilcotin River as well as in the Fraser River immediately below the confluence."In the event of a "catastrophic failure," a "flood surge" could manage to move "from the Chilcotin River to Hope within a day." The impact of the high volume of water would be "less severe" south of Hope, though the Lower Mainland could still see "substantial increases in flow.".Emergency alerts have been issued for the banks of the Chilcotin River between Hanceville and the confluence with the Fraser River, and along the banks of the Fraser River from the Chilcotin River to Hope.."People's safety is our top priority," Premier David Eby wrote in a post on X. "The Chilcotin River area is at risk of flooding due to a landslide. Everyone must avoid the area as the situation evolves. Stay informed and follow official emergency updates."
