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FORT ST. JOHN — A slumping hillside that is threatening dozens of homes in northeastern British Columbia has prompted an evacuation alert for part of the city of Fort St. John.

The alert was issued on Wednesday for a section of the city’s southernmost outskirts at the top of the steep hill overlooking the Peace River and the riverbank community of Old Fort.

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The slowly moving landslide began more than 10 days ago and has gradually torn up the only road down to Old Fort, toppled power lines and forced the Peace River Regional District to order the evacuation of all 54 homes in the suburb.

A news release from Fort St. John says the evacuation alert is precautionary and will allow city staff to effectively respond to the constantly changing event.

No homes are affected by the alert, which covers two sewage lagoons described by the city as “dormant and empty.”

B.C. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth flew over the landslide on Wednesday and called it a “very complex situation,” because the earth is still moving and cracks in the hills on either side of the slide continue to widen.

(The Canadian Press, MooseFM)