Penticton issues local state of emergency after reports of flash floods

Officials in Penticton briefly declared a local state of emergency yesterday and say 16 properties were evacuated during flash flooding caused by sudden downpours.

A statement from the city says it received 86 calls about high water while the intense storm was happening.

The River Forecast Centre is maintaining high streamflow advisories for waterways across much of southern and southeastern BC while the Chilcotin River and its tributaries were upgraded to a flood watch late yesterday.

Localized intense rainstorms are complicating flooding predictions in many areas, including in the Regional District of Central Kootenay where 25 properties between Poplar Creek and the Lardeau River were issued evacuation alerts yesterday at the height of the unsettled weather.