With a warming trend and rainfall in the forecast starting this weekend, the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) is encouraging residents across the region to be aware and prepared.

“With the snow we’ve received over the past 10 days, and the forecasted potential for several millimeters of rain this weekend combined with rising temperatures, there is an elevated risk of localized overland flooding,” said Christina Carbrey, RDEK Protective Services Manager.

“We encourage people to stay clear of creek banks and rivers and urge anyone who lives in a flood-prone area to take steps to protect their homes and properties.”

There are a number of proactive measures residents can take to help reduce the risk of flooding on their properties including things like checking that gutters and downspouts are cleared, ensuring proper drainage or clearing drainage channels, spreading out or removing large piles of snow and sandbagging in flood-prone areas.

The RDEK’s Flood Response Unit will also be in communication with municipalities in the region, to ensure regional cooperation and situational awareness and is working on establishing self-fill sandbag stations as required.

As part of seasonal emergency preparedness, residents who have not already done so are encouraged to sign up for the regional Evacuation Notification System, which notifies registrants by landline, mobile phone or text in the event their property or marked location is within an evacuation alert or order area.

Registration instructions and more information are available on the Emergency Information page onwww.rdek.bc.ca.

To learn more about how to prepare for emergencies, build an emergency kit or create a family emergency plan, visit www.PreparedBC.ca.

RDEK

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