Following a geotechnical assessment of the area, the evacuation order for 25 homes in the Pleasant Valley Mobile Home Park on Penticton Avenue remains in effect two days after a threat of rock slide.
“With the assessment complete, we’re now able to begin the steps towards stabilizing the site and ensuring residents are safe in their homes,” says Emergency Operations Centre director Kristen Dixon. “We want to resolve this expediently and with as little disruption as possible but the safety of the residents, their homes and crews comes first.”
An evacuation order and a local state of emergency were declared on Nov. 21.
Crews have begun the first step in the process which is raising the retaining wall that is currently in place to provide protection against any potential rock fall. Once that work is completed on Wednesday, the next steps to stabilizing the unstable rock will be developed. Emergency Support Services has been extended for another 24 hours for residents of the impacted homes.
So far, 37 people have registered with ESS.
“As the work progresses, we will continue to assess the status of the evacuation order and provide updates to the impacted residents and the public as required,” said Dixon. “Our hope is that once the wall is extended, we will be able to reduce the evacuation order but we won’t make that decision until tomorrow.”
Anyone who hasn’t yet registered can do so by calling 250-328-8749 or emailing ess@penticton.ca.
