Further flooding from Hawkes Creek northeast of Williams Lake has washed out a large section of the Likely Road at the nine-kilometre mark.
Just a reminder to check https://t.co/IEcju4tRxh for the latest on road closures in the Williams Lake, Horsefly, Likely and Alexis Creek area side roads. #BCHwy97, #BCHwy20, #WilliamsLake, #CentralCariboo, #LikelyBC, #HorseflyBC, #AlexisCreekBC pic.twitter.com/PKbR9XLFHA
— Dawson Road Maintenance - Cariboo (@DawsonRoadMaint) April 25, 2020
Local resident Regan Marklinger told the Tribune Sunday morning it looked like the creek came up a bit.
“We went under evacuation order last night at about 9 p.m. when I got a phone call, but my residence is on the same property as my parents on about 37 acres. We are a good 25 feet above Hawkes Creek.”
His parents’ home is about 50 feet from the creek and his is another 100 metres set back from theirs.
Marklinger said his neighbour evacuated last evening because his house and shop and area would be at risk.
The shoulder from the pavement of the Likely Road is washed out and more undermining is underway, Markingler said from what he observed Sunday morning, April 26.
He has lived at the ‘nine-mile dip’ since 1972 and has seen Hawkes Creek breach to the road four times during that time period.
“But nothing at this level. This is crazy.”
Read more: MOTI ‘triaging’ more than 100 road washouts in Cariboo region due to recent flooding
Marklinger works at Gibraltar Mine and said earlier this week he was en route to work along the Mountain House Road and got turned around because Highway 97 was closed near McLeese Lake due to flooding.
When he moved to the area as a kid, his parents started out with 350 acres and 25 head of cows, but now it’s been subdivided and they just have horses, chickens and dogs.
“I live here with my wife and kids. I think we are high enough from the creek that we can stay put and just watch the show.”
Jokingly, Markingler said he is wondering if he should switch his woodworking projects to building an ark.
The Cariboo Regional District issued an evacuation order for four properties on the Horsefly Road due to flooding from Hawkes Creek on Thursday evening.
Marklinger said he is very impressed with all the people volunteering in that area with sand bagging and he is more concerned for people living near the washout at the Horsefly Road and Hawkes Creek.
He said it was -8C at their place Sunday morning.