About a dozen families in Mission, B.C. are picking up the pieces after heavy rainfall sent a torrent of creek water rushing into their homes over the weekend.
Windebank Creek started overflowing Saturday morning due to a clogged culvert, creating a flash flood that affected at least 10 nearby homes.
Geoff Hackett said the water tore through the back door of his townhouse, pushing debris and some of his possessions inside.
“My propane tank and my little barbecue [were] in my kitchen, all the way on the other side of the house,” Hackett said.
At the height of the flooding, the water in Hackett’s home was almost four feet deep. He was still surveying the damage Monday while his wife and two kids stayed with family.
Residents said the surprise flood could have been prevented if the District of Mission had been more proactive about clearing debris from the culvert.
“They just keep pushing it aside instead of taking it away,” Hackett said. “Then they don’t come check it for a while and the next thing you know my house is underwater.”
The District insisted all of its culverts were inspected last month and found to be working and free of debris. Tracy Kyle, director of engineering for Mission, blamed the intensity of the downpour for the mess families are dealing with.
“It was just the sheer magnitude of the rainfall and the short time span that it happened that really brought the situation to a head,” Kyle said.
District workers are responding to the flood by clearing away the debris from the culvert, and will be using underground cameras to inspect it from the inside.
With a report from CTV Vancouver’s Nafeesa Karim
