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Flood watch continues as waters subside

It’s been a dramatic few days in the West Kootenay with heavy rains causing many problems in the region.
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Highway 31A washout

It’s been a dramatic few days in the West Kootenay with heavy rains causing slides, washouts, closing roads and bridges, leaving people isolated and damaging homes.

But it seems conditions are settling down, said Bill Macpherson, information officer with the RDCK.

“Barring any unexpected heavy rains, which are not forecasted, everything should slowly return to normal,” he said Saturday morning.

The Regional District of Central Kootenay activated its emergency operations centre Thursday with flooding mostly a concern in and around Kaslo.

It was deactivated Friday night, said Macpherson.

The forecast for next week includes rain showers with heavy downpours like those falling last week not expected. Most water systems in the region have peaked and are dropping slowly.

Highway 31 north of Kaslo remains single lane alternating with a mudslide that hit the area still being cleaned up. A washout between New Denver to Kaslo still has Highway 31A single lane with up to 30-minute delays.