B.C. flooding: Intense weather systems coming as province reopens, repairs major highways
Rainstorms of increasing intensity are forecast to hit British Columbia over the coming days, prompting warnings for people to be prepared to evacuate floodwaters if necessary.
Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth says the biggest rainstorm is expected to arrive on Tuesday and people living in areas prone to flooding should be on alert.
He urges people to have food, water, blankets, and flashlights ready in case of rising waters in their communities.
Floods and mudslides last week damaged and closed some major provincial highways, forced the evacuation of the City of Merritt and caused historic flood damage in the Abbotsford-Chilliwack area of the Fraser Valley, devastating homes, farms and livestock.
Six people have been confirmed killed or missing in the floods and slides.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is to be in B.C. today to visit areas affected by the flooding and meet with provincial, municipal, and First Nation leaders.
Trudeau's schedule says he will be in the Abbotsford area and will also meet with members of the military, first responders and volunteers.
He is to be in Victoria later in the day to meet with Premier John Horgan.
Farnworth says officials will be closely watching the coming storms for increasing flood and slide threats.
Environment Canada says Howe Sound, as well as northern sections of Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, were expected to receive up to 80 millimetres of rain by Friday morning. Southern sections of Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley were forecast to receive up to 50 millimetres.
But despite the weather warnings, the government says progress is being made in re-establishing vital highway links and interrupted supply chains.
Transportation Minister Rob Fleming said Thursday that a major section of the Trans-Canada Highway between Abbotsford and Chilliwack has reopened and work on the damaged Coquihalla Highway is underway. The major route that connects the Lower Mainland with the B.C. Interior could reopen in late January, but to commercial traffic only, he added.
Fleming said about 20 sites along the Coquihalla Highway from Hope to Merritt have been badly damaged and five bridges have either collapsed or sustained serious structural problems.
The Trans-Canada Highway through the Fraser Canyon remains closed as does Highway 8 between Spences Bridge and Merritt, but Highway 3 from Hope to the Interior is open as is Highway 7 between Agassiz and Hope.
The federal government and Vancouver Fraser Port Authority announced they are working together to address supply chain disruptions, with Ottawa contributing up to $4.1 million to ease bottlenecks at Vancouver ports.
Farnworth said the coming rains have emergency officials making preparations in the Sumas area of the Fraser Valley where major flooding has already occurred.
“The focus right now is on the flood-impacted areas where the ground is saturated and dikes have been under pressure,” he said.
“The entire region is getting the attention and the focus to make sure that not only are crews there but the equipment, the sandbags, of which I think about two million are in place to be able to deal with the weather events we are seeing.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 26, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A 'tragedy that can't be measured': North Bay's forever chemical problem is also the rest of Canada's
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Questlove was not happy with Drake and Kendrick Lamar's beef: 'Nobody won the war'
While some may have been excited and/or amused by the diss-track feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, the man many consider to be an elder statesman of hip-hop appears less than enthused about it.
Trump heading to Jersey Shore to rally 'mega crowd' in weekend break from hush money trial
After a long week in court, Donald Trump is heading to the Jersey Shore. And his campaign says he'll be joined by "tens of thousands" of his friends.
For moms-to-be, it's possible to take maternity leave without breaking the bank
Pregnancy is often an exciting and anxious time for parents-to-be. And while painting the nursery and choosing a stroller are typically on the agenda, experts say preparing financially for a maternity leave can help reduce stress later on as well.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
Fine dining, at a new high. A Michelin-starred chef will take his cuisine to our upper atmosphere
Six guests are set to ascend aboard Spaceship Neptune to the stratosphere, where they will enjoy an immersive dining experience served up by Danish Michelin-starred chef Rasmus Munk.