Evacuation alert issued for parts of Old Crow, Yukon, due to flood risk

A flood watch is in effect for the Porcupine River in the Yukon and an evacuation alert has been issued for parts of Old Crow because of the risk.

The territorial government issued the alert early Friday afternoon. It advises people who live in certain identified zones in Old Crow to be prepared to leave at a moment's notice, and says other areas may be affected "as the situation unfolds."

An evacuation alert is different than an evacuation order, when residents must leave their home. An alert is intended to encourage people to prepare in case an order is later issued. 

The alert notice says the identified zones in Old Crow will be evacuated "if water rises quickly and crosses the Dump Road."

The flood watch issued on Friday for the Porcupine River said the water is rising because of snowmelt and ice breakup on the river's tributaries.

It said the breakup risk at Old Crow is elevated "due to a delayed onset of melt and ice degradation combined with quickly rising streamflow," and that breakup was expected within the next one to three days.

"The probability of an ice jam downstream of Old Crow is currently high but will decrease as ice degradation progresses," it reads.

Residents are advised to stay clear of fast-flowing water and potentially unstable riverbanks. 

People living in areas under the evacuation alert are advised to have an emergency bag packed and to have an evacuation plan. If there is an evacuation, people are asked to go to the reception centre at Chief Zzeh Gittlit School to inform officials about their plan.

Officials say updates will be posted on the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation's Facebook page, and on the territorial government's website.