Merritt suspends day access as flood threat rises again, nearby community evacuated

'The current trajectory of the water levels indicates that flooding in Merritt is a possibility,' the city said in a media release Sunday. 

New flooding concerns prompted the city of Merritt to temporarily suspend day access for evacuees who live in a part of the city hit hard by the recent disaster.

Residents making use of a day access program for parts of the city under an evacuation order south of Nicola Avenue were told they must exit the community by 3 p.m. due to a flood threat on the Coldwater River.

“The current trajectory of the water levels indicates that flooding in Merritt is a possibility,” the city said in a media release.

“Residents are encouraged to retrieve their most important documents and items today,” the city said Sunday.

The city said the decision was based on rising waters observed about eight hours upriver on the Coldwater River.

Crews were continuing to work on protecting critical infrastructure, including the city’s wastewater treatment plant, and dikes along the Coldwater.

“Despite an incredible effort by City crews to reinforce and restore the banks of the Coldwater River, our community is still vulnerable to flooding,” Mayor Linda Brown said in a statement.

“The river is rising and we are monitoring our river banks and are prepared to do what is necessary to keep our citizens safe.”