By Lyonel Doherty

Oliver Chronicle

A lone evacuee on Test Orchard Road says she’s living in what feels like a ‘war zone’ right now.

Anne Riches was told to evacuate a residence she is looking after on Secrest Hill where Park Rill Creek is a raging river.

“It has been the worst experience . . . I’m scared,” said the woman from Invermere, who is the property’s caretaker this spring.

“I don’t think they (officials) realize how bad it is at my house. The trees are falling down; it’s like a war zone.”

Riches showed the Chronicle two big trees that toppled over the driveway due to erosion along the creek. A footbridge over the creek is also compromised, and long fissures can be seen opening up along the bank.

Riches has been staying at a local motel as part of the regional district’s evacuation relief measures. But she is worried about what will happen next, wondering if she will have a house to come home to.

“I don’t know what to do,” she said.

Riches is meeting with a regional district representative and an engineer today to assess the situation.

Anne Riches was evacuated from a property she’s living at on Test Orchard Road, due to erosion and fallen trees. (Vanessa Broadbent photo)

Meanwhile, officials continue to monitor Secrest Hill Road where pumps and hoses are diverting water.

Area C director Terry Schafer fears there’s a real potential for a debris slide in that area, so he strongly urges Sportsman’s Bowl residents to be ready to evacuate immediately.

Nearly 150 people have been issued an evacuation alert for the Sportsman’s Bowl and Park Rill areas.

Floodwaters continue to rise at the corner of Sportsman’s Bowl Road and Highway 97, where officials are monitoring the hazard.

Major flooding and debris flows in the Okanagan region this spring have caused significant property and content damages. As a result, provincial Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) has been authorized for qualifying claimants, such as homeowners, residential tenants, small business owners, farmers and local government bodies who were unable to obtain insurance to cover these losses.

Disaster Financial Assistance has been authorized for the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen, including all electoral areas, municipalities and First Nation communities.

All applicants should first check with their insurance agent to determine if their current insurance policy provides coverage for the damage.

As part of the qualification process, the applicant’s insurer will be asked to provide a letter indicating that the applicant could not have purchased insurance to cover these disaster-related losses.

Information about DFA is available at www.gov.bc.ca/disasterfinancialassistance.

Affected residents are encouraged to submit their application as soon as possible. The deadline July 19.

Email the completed application to [email protected] or fax: 250-952-5542.

For after-hours emergencies in the regional district, call the Provincial Emergency Program at 1-800-663-3456.