Municipal officials have called a state of emergency early Friday morning, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of people as flood waters caused one of Cowichan’s biggest disasters in decades.

Volunteers were busy sandbagging areas in and around Duncan while the Island Savings Centre opened to help folks ordered to evacuate their homes Friday as dikes were damaged by rising river waters.

Due to flooding of Cowichan and Koksilah Rivers, a local state of emergency was declared in the District of North Cowichan and the City of Duncan, causing about 300 homes to be evacuated by early Friday afternoon.

That evacuation order was issued for the following areas:

• Beverly Street from the Lakes Road round-a-bout, west to Claire Street; all of Heather Street and Claire Street and Campbell Street east at Trunk Road to the Cowichan River;

An evacuation alert was also issued for the area on Chesterfield from the Sportsplex to Beverly Street.

Regional officials said the priority for work crews was sandbagging and temporarily diking the perimeter of the Beverly-Lakes Road area to hold flood waters back.

High water on the Cowichan and Koksilah rivers is being blamed for the flooding, regional brass said.

“Once this work is completed, crews will work with residents to protect individual properties,” the Cowichan Valley Regional District region’s website stated.

“Until then, residents in these areas are asked to be patient.”

Duncan City Councillor Sharon Jackson noted the Cowichan SPCA is accepting pets from evacuated homes.

“Marchmont’s under two feet of water and they’re sandbagging," she said.

“It’s the whole end of town and the south end of town and the drains are in terrible condition.

“This is the biggest thing that’s happened here in 25 years and public works has been in high gear 24 hours a day.

“The water table’s up so high that anyone with a basement is flooded.”

Jackson noted some storm drains are plugged,” she said, citing clogs at Francis and Charlotte streets.

What you should do:

• Leave the area immediately

• Follow the travel route provided and register at (ESS Reception Centre 2687 James Street and Island Savings Centre)

• If you need transportation assistance from the area please call 250-746-2561

• Close all windows and doors

• Shut off all gas and electrical appliances, other than refrigerators and freezers

• Close gates (latch) but do not lock

• Gather your family: take a neighbour or someone who needs help

• Take critical items (medicine, purse, wallet, keys) only if they are immediately available. – Take pets in pet kennels or on leash

• Do not use more vehicles than you have to

• Do not use the telephone unless you need emergency service

The following roads have been closed:

• Tzouhalem Road between Jaynes and Lakes Roads

• Lakes Road between Beverly Street and Tzouhalem

• Beverly Street between Lakes Road and York

• Canada Avenue from Philip to Sherman round-a-bout

• Trunk Road from Olsen to lakes Road

• Campbell Street/Prevost/Lomas

• Marchmont to Campbell East

• Philips to Mary Street

• Tzouhalem Road to Cowichan Bay Road

• Portions of Cowichan Bay Road

• Dike building is occurring on Lakes Road from round-a-bout to Duncan Works yard

Traffic from Maple Bay is requested to detour along Herd Road or Osbourne Bay Road.

This story will be updated throughout the weekend at www.cowichannewsleader.com, on 89.7 SunFM, or call 250-746-2561.