Around 30 people from Rivers Inlet were evacuated to Port Hardy last week because unusually heavy rainfall is threatening floods and landslides in the small valley community. The Wuikinuxv First Nation reserve is accessible by boat B次元官网网址� three hours from Vancouver Island B次元官网网址� or a 45-minute flight to Port Hardy.

It took six helicopter flights to evacuate everyone who chose to leave B次元官网网址� some folks stayed behind to monitor the situation. Initially, evacuees were told theyB次元官网网址檇 stay in Port Hardy for three days. But the rain still hasnB次元官网网址檛 lessened, so the evacuation has been extended at least until Thursday, Nov. 5.

The rains meant kids werenB次元官网网址檛 able to get home in time for Halloween and had to improvise from the hotels.

Barney Walkus and Carina JohnsonB次元官网网址檚 three sons had their costumes ready B次元官网网址� 13-year-old Aiden was going to be ghostface from Scream, 10-year-old Mason wanted to be a clown, and five-year old Tristan was all set to be Jason from Friday the 13th.

Unfortunately, the costumes were left behind in Rivers Inlet, so Friday they went out hunting for new characters.

B次元官网网址淩ain drops were like this big when we were leaving,B次元官网网址� Walkus said, holding his fingers together to show the size of a quarter. B次元官网网址淵ou could feel it hitting you.B次元官网网址�

He and Johnson chose to evacuate because of their sons. He didnB次元官网网址檛 want them to have to experience a last-minute, middle-of-the-night emergency evacuation like Johnson experienced as a child. They also brought their two-year-old pug, who made friends with everyone she met.

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Hope Johnson and her partner Jonathan Nolan also evacuated with their 12-month-old son Michael Nolan. The landslide risk was too great, Hope said.

The Oweekeno village is on a flat section of land between two mountains with a river running between the massive Owikeno Lake and Rivers Inlet, the sound that extends eastward into B.C.B次元官网网址檚 rugged central coast. The village butts up against an impressive mountain that can become a forbidding threat for landslides.

Hope, 23, said her lawn was so saturated that rainwater was pooling on it.

B次元官网网址淚f my grass is like that, imagine whatB次元官网网址檚 going on up in the mountains?B次元官网网址�

If a landslide were to come down the mountain, it would bring with it all the rocks and gravel and trees with unstoppable force right onto the little landing where Oweekeno is situated.

B次元官网网址淚t could happen at any time. You could just be making breakfast and then, boom. The risk was too high for me,B次元官网网址� Hope said.

She and Nolan, 24, came to Port Hardy in a helicopter Wednesday afternoon (Oct. 28) with Michael on their lap, one duffle bag of clothes, baby food, diapers, dog food, and their dog Willow at their feet.

They were prepped for 72-hours, but as of Monday, Nov. 2, still donB次元官网网址檛 have a confirmed date to go home. Nolan is missing work, and the three of them have run out of clean clothes. While there is a basic laundry service in Port Hardy, it means taxiing downtown with a baby and dog in tow (dogs arenB次元官网网址檛 allowed to stay in the hotel alone), so it seemed easier to just buy new clothes.

So far, no significant slides have occurred, but the rivers and streams are pulsing with rapids. Rain has been pummelling the small village since Oct. 27, and shows no sign of slackening.

BC Emergency Management has been running the evacuation in tandem with local emergency services directors at the Regional District of Mount Waddington and Wuikinuxv First Nation. Representatives have flown over Rivers Inlet to understand whatB次元官网网址檚 going on, and an engineer is on site evaluating the risk of a landslide.

Do you have something to add to this story or something else we should report on? Email: zoe.ducklow@blackpress.ca