A house sits buried in mud from a mudslide that happened just south of Oliver, in British Columbia, near the Testa Linda Creek.
Authorities in Oliver, B.C. are issuing a warning over contamination from pesticide sheds and fuel tanks caught up in Sunday's mudslide, advising anyone affected to avoid going to the hospital because doing so could contaminate health-care workers.
The mudslide destroyed orchards, vineyards and five homes near Oliver but also swept away hazardous materials that could complicate efforts by residents to dig out from under the debris.
"There's a bunch of fuel tanks and pesticide sheds that were just taken away," said Allan Patton, a director with the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen, responsible for the affected area. "Who knows where they are now?"
Mr. Patton said residents have been informed of protocols should they come across hazardous material, including what to do if they become contaminated.
"They can't go to the hospital because otherwise they'll contaminate the hospital and the hospital will have to shut down. They have to be decontaminated before they go to the hospital," Mr. Patton said.
A hazmat team is available to assist residents.
Who will pay to clean up the hazardous materials or contaminated soil is "hard to figure out," Mr. Patton said. "There's nothing definitive about that."
He said he expects hazardous materials discovered in the short term to be taken care of by the provincial emergency program. However, he said some materials may not be discovered for months or years and who will pay then is not clear.
The Ministry of Environment said it can't comment on who will ultimately pay the clean-up costs until an investigation into who was responsible for the mudslide is complete.
The ministry won't say when it last audited the hilltop reservoir that gave way, unleashing a torrent of mud and debris. It said it can't comment because that issue is part of an investigation by Deputy Solicitor-General David Morhart, who is expected to report back in mid-July.
The reservoir lake and its earthen dam are classified by the province as "low consequence," meaning an accident would not be expected to cause much damage to people or property.
The mudslide near Oliver left debris on about 21 properties. Five homes were destroyed and another 25 were evacuated. Mr. Patton said economic losses are "in the millions."
Primary responsibility for the reservoir lies with the licence holder, Elkink Ranch, but the ministry is supposed to audit low-consequence dams every 10 years.
The ministry said in an e-mail that its investigation will include a review of dam policies.