Evacuation order remains in place as glacial lake bursts near Pemberton

The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District says Place Glacier Lake is bursting near Pemberton, B.C.

An evacuation order is already in place for affected properties in the Gates Lake and Poole Creek areas.

Members of the public are being asked to stay away from Place Creek, Poole Creek, Gates Lake and all nearby water channels.

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Dangerous water flows, debris, erosion, and unstable streambanks are expected, states the Regional District.

“It’s something we’ve been watching; we’ve asked residents to leave the area and we know there is lots of interesting hiking in the area, and we’re asking people to stay away from that and away from the water channels,” Jen Ford with the Regional District said.

Technical experts anticipate flood waters are likely to peak in Place Glacier’s downstream water channels late in the day on Wednesday, July 1, the Regional District stated on its Facebook page.

During this time, staff and technical experts will monitor conditions and assess impacts to determine whether any additional emergency response measures are required.

Emergency Support Services (ESS) remain available for residents affected by the evacuation order. Residents requiring assistance should contact the Canadian Red Cross at 1-888-800-6493.