Boundary begins recovery from ‘catastrophic floods’ with new Flood Resilience Centre

Now that almost all the Boundary, B.C., residents forced to evacuate their homes during the recent flood have been allowed to return, the regional district is turning its attention to flood recovery.

The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB) is setting up what it is calling the Boundary Flood Resilience Centre at the Grand Forks Curling Rink.

READ MORE: Hundreds of Boundary-area residents return home

The new centre opens on Saturday and will be staffed by representatives from multiple agencies. It will provide a centralized place for those impacted by flooding to seek assistance.

WATCH: Global News’ ongoing coverage of the extensive flooding in B.C.’s Boundary region.

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“The RDKB has assembled more than 20 different agencies under one roof to answer flood victims’ questions and provide assistance on a range of important topics including disaster financial assistance, psycho-social support services, possession recovery, water testing, flood cleanup, waste disposal, home insurance and electrical safety,” the regional district said in a media release.

READ MORE: B.C. flooding news Friday: military rolls into Grand Forks

The regional district said there will be a community pancake breakfast outside the centre at 8 a.m. on Saturday. Then the facility will open at 9 a.m.

During the peak of the flood, around 1,600 properties in the regional district were on evacuation order. As of Friday, only 11 properties remained on evacuation order.

“Those homes [that remain on evacuation order] are where in some cases rivers changed course and the house is now in the middle of an island on the river, or it is a home that is maybe hanging off the side of a riverbank or otherwise fairly severe impacts where the structures are not habitable right now,” information officer Frances Maika said.

A rapid damage assessment has also found 56 properties, including those still on evacuation order, which have been deemed unsafe, meaning the structure was “found to be seriously damaged and is unsafe to occupy.”