Water levels in the Elk Valley are lowering and the South end access to Cokato Road has been reopened.
“We did get some great news today in the Cokato area as the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) was able to restore access on the south end of Cokato Road, which provides an exit route for all property owners between Thompson Road and Morrissey who had their egress cut off during the storm,” said RDEK Information Officer Loree Duczek.
“One of the amazing things to come out of emergencies are stories of kindness and support, and we want to acknowledge the residents of Cokato Road and Thompson Road who have been supporting one another and checking in on one another until access to their properties could be restored.”
The Evacuation Alert in effect for 11 Hosmer properties is still in effect.
“The Evacuation Alert remains in effect for 11 properties in Hosmer and will be re-assessed
tomorrow,” added Duczek.
“Today we had engineers complete an assessment of Hosmer Creek and Mine Creek and we have applied for approval to complete in-stream works to help clear debris and expedite creek flow.”
Highway 3 remains closed 4km north of Fernie due to flooding from Hartley Creek.
RDEK officials said there is a detour on Dicken Road and it is not yet known how long the detour will remain in place.
According to the RDEK, three sections of Cokato Road were compromised by flooding or mudslides.
Access at the intersection of Robinson Road and near the cattle-guard at Morrissey are now open to local traffic.
The intersection of Cokato and Thompson Road is closed and could be for several days.