Geotechnical crews are busy working in the Sunshine Valley after a landslide crashed down on several homes last Thursday afternoon.
Trees, mud and other debris slid into four residences, one of which was occupied at the time.
No one was injured in the incident which occurred at about 5 p.m.
RCMP were on scene and performed a tactical evacuation on the homes – 15211 Cedar Blvd., 15171 Cedar Blvd. and 15131 Twig Terrace. The fourth address was unavailable.
Patricia Ross, chair of the Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD), quickly signed a declaration announcing a State of Local Emergency and issued the evacuation notice.
Dennis Adamson, a FVRD board member representing Electoral Area B, toured the slide site by helicopter.
“It’s devastating. It’s hard to find words to describe it,” said Adamson.
Two of the homes received light damage, but Adamson said the “worst hit” home happened to be the one which was occupied.
“There was a lady from the Philippines in it ... she was lucky to get out.”
Tareq Islam, the FVRD’s director of engineering was on site Monday and said the investigation is still ongoing.
He said the landslide was 225 metres long and about 25 metres wide at the start. The width grew to about 75 metres by the time it stopped.
While no official cause has been determined, Islam said there was light rain and snowfall the day before and an underground spring located nearby.
“It could have created a chain reaction that basically pulled the soil down,’ he said.
Home owners will not be allowed to return to the residences at this time.
“The homes are not stable.”
Only one home is a permanent residence while the other were seasonal properties.