Due to imminent flood risk, the City of Prince George declared a state of local emergency for the area encompassing Farrell Street, Houston Lane and Lower Lansdowne Road.
Evacuation orders were issued to 17 residences on Farrell Street and Paddlewheel Park has been closed.
These evacuation orders to Farrell Street homes, unlike the evacuation alerts sent out, are orders for residents to leave their homes tonight.
City spokesperson Chris Bone said the evacuation has to be swift so that people can get their belongings and vehicles out of the neighbourhood before construction of a temporary dike system, but also for their well being.
"The river is rising quickly," Bone said. "We want to make sure they're safe."
The city is installing 900 metres of temporary diking in the form of gabion baskets on Farrell Street to protect critical public infrastructure. Gabion baskets are a quick diking system that uses foldable wire-mesh containers five metres long, one metre deep and one metre wide.
These can be rushed to trouble spots, unfolded and rapidly filled with sand by front-end loaders, creating new dikes more quickly than traditional sandbagging.
Prince George City Hall Annex (attached to the back of City Hall) has been designated as the reception centre. All residents in the affected flood areas are asked to register by calling 250-561-7600. If required, residents are eligible for short-term emergency assistance of food and shelter.
"We have an evacuation support program through the provincial support program," Bone explained. The program has a service arrangement with local hotels.
These services require in-person registration at the City Hall Annex. The reception centre is open until 9 p.m. tonight and again from 8:30 Friday morning.
"As well, if someone has an urgent situation, there is a service number people can call [250-561-7600]. Even after 9 p.m. we have somebody on call," Bone said.
