WATCH: Over a metre of water went rushing through Perry’s RV Park early Monday morning after the Englishman River breached its bank. Dean Stoltz reports.
The water has dropped substantially at Perry?s RV Park since Monday.
Watermarks on the homes indicate how high the water was.
“It was pretty dramatic,” said resident Bob Martin. “I was here 15 years ago and I never saw water and devastation like what we had. It probably came up two feet within an hour for sure.”
Twenty-one people and seven pets were rescued by search-and-rescue teams.
“We just had to pack everything as fast as we could, essentials, and get out,” said Catherine Bauer.
Martin and Leslie Vickers had to come right out their front window.
“Within 10 minutes, the water just came rushing over the berm and smashed through the back shed back there and it filled up to the window ledge within 10 minutes,” said Vickers.
“We crawled out the front window and a little dinghy boat came in there for us,” added Martin.
There is a berm that circles the park to protect it from flooding but it failed in at least two places as the water went rushing in.
Big concrete blocks that make part of a temporary berm across a road in the winter were pushed over by the power of the water.
Asphalt was also torn up in several places.
“I?m amazed,” said Bauer. “I really have no words. It?s much worse than I thought it could possibly be.”
The mobile homes are built on blocks about 1.5 metres high and so far the inside of the homes have remained dry.
There is more rain in the forecast for this week but the BC River Forecast Centre says the worst is behind us.
“At this point, it?s not looking too bad, it?s not as heavy as we just saw and we are getting a bit of time between the storms to see the rivers recover,” said Dave Campbell with the BC River Forecast Centre.
That?s good news but residents at Perry’s RV Park still don?t know when they?ll be able to go home.
They?ve been told their houses are uninhabitable because the water and wastewater system in the park was affected by the flood. They are being put up in a hotel by emergency social services.
Dean Stoltz
