British Columbia

Old Fort residents make do after northeast B.C. community cut off by landslide

The community of about 30 homes in northeastern B.C. had its only road in or out of town cut off Sunday when a landslide began to slowly tear the pavement apart.

'It’s really been beautiful to see the community working together so well,' resident says

A landslide has rendered the one road in or out of Old Fort, B.C. completely impassable. (Ali den Ouden)

After a landslide cut off the B.C. community of Old Fort, south of Fort St. John, residents are making do as best as they can.

The community of about 30 homes in northeastern B.C. had its only road in or out of town cut off Sunday when a landslide began to slowly tear the pavement apart.

"It's definitely a big change for everybody," resident Ali den Ouden, 29, told Radio West guest host Josh Pagé.

"It's very much a waiting game and a little bit of a guessing game when life can resume as normal."

Right now, den Ouden says the only way to leave the community is via a water taxi the Peace River Regional District has deployed, connecting the stranded community to Taylor, several kilometres to the southeast via the Peace River.

The district is providing three water taxi trips each way per day.

Power has finally been restored to the community as of Wednesday morning, she said.

Den Ouden says she and her two sons, aged three and five, are staying in Fort St. John with her mother-in-law for the time being, but she's keeping in touch with her friends and neighbours who are sticking it out as roadwork continues.

She describes a community leaning on one another in a challenging time.

"It's really been beautiful to see the community working together so well," she said.

The road to Old Fort, B.C., has been out of commission since Sunday. (Ali den Ouden)

With files from CBC Radio One's Radio West