Evacuation order lifted after Campbell River landslide, local state of emergency remains

An evacuation order is no longer in effect in Campbell River, B.C., after a landslide damaged several buildings last week.

The landslide occurred on Jan. 17, forcing about 30 residents to leave their homes at a pair of apartment buildings at the base of the slide.

An evacuation alert was then issued on Jan. 19 and was lifted on Jan. 21, the city said in a release Monday.

During that time, cleanup efforts were completed at the site, at which point it was deemed safe for residents to return.

While the evacuation order has been lifted, the city notes that an evacuation alert for the broader area and a local state of emergency remain in effect Monday.

The city says geotechnical work is still underway to investigate the extent of the landslide.

The local state of emergency will remain in place until that investigation is complete, according to the city.

"Thank you to the residents of the affected buildings for their patience and cooperation as the city completed the necessary work to ensure it was safe to return to the site," said Campbell River director of operations Drew Hadfield in a release Monday.

"We are extremely glad that residents were able to return to their homes over the weekend," he said.

"I’d also like to thank the supporting agencies, staff and volunteers for their incredible efforts to make the return happen as efficiently as possible."