B.C. storm: More evacuations ordered due to flooding, landslide risks
The latest storm to reach southwestern B.C. has prompted a string of new evacuation orders, while some Abbotsford residents have been allowed to return home for the first time in days.
On Wednesday evening, the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District placed eight homes near Pemberton on evacuation order and dozens more on evacuation alert due to an increased risk of landslides in Electoral Area "C."
Most of the properties are located along Reid Road, part of which has been washed out by the recent rainfall, according to the district.
Another evacuation order has been issued along Chilliwack Lake Road, to the northeast of Cultus Lake in Electoral Area "E." Officials said high flows and bank erosion in the Chilliwack River has posed an "immediate danger to life and property."
Farther east, the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen ordered 10 rural properties outside Princeton to be evacuated over fresh flooding along the Similkameen River.
Mudslides and overland flooding have also prompted a number of road closures in Mission, and forced TransLink to shut down West Coast Express service.
Initially, the transit agency said trains would be unable to continue past Port Haney, but it later said West Coast Express Trains 4 and 5 had been cancelled. For passengers on Train 3, there is a bus bridge from Port Coquitlam to Mission, TransLink said.
"We thank our passengers for their patience and regret this inconvenience," the agency said in a statement.
In an email to CTV News, CP Rail confirmed that mud was observed on the West Coast Express track west of Port Haney Station. There were no injuries and no trains were involved in the slide, according to CP.
Meanwhile, improving conditions have allowed Abbotsford to downgrade an evacuation order for some properties in the city's Huntingdon Village area to an evacuation alert.
People living in an area bordered by 2nd Avenue on the north, Sumas Way on the west, the U.S. border on the south and 2nd Avenue to Southern Rail on the east have been allowed to return home.
"Please be aware that you may be evacuated again if the situation escalates," warns a message on the Abbotsford website.
The latest evacuation orders and alerts can be found on the Emergency Info B.C. website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Two killed after collision with truck on Hwy. 417 near Limoges, Ont.
Ontario Provincial Police say two people were killed after a car and a transport truck collided in the westbound lanes of Highway 417 near Limoges, Ont. on Tuesday afternoon.
Houston braces for flooding to worsen in wake of storms
High waters flooded neighborhoods around Houston on Saturday following heavy rains that have already resulted in crews rescuing hundreds of people from homes, rooftops and roads engulfed in murky water.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
‘We made them safer and more fun’: Here’s what’s new about e-scooters
Electric scooters (e-scooters) have been gaining popularity in the capital and this season comes with some changes and updates.
Hulk Hogan, hurricanes and a blockbuster recording: A week in review of the Trump hush money trial
Crucial witnesses took the stand in the second week of testimony in Donald Trump's hush money trial, including a California lawyer who negotiated deals at the center of the case and a longtime adviser to the former president.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.
Canadian Auger-Aliassime reaches first Masters final in Madrid with another walkover
Montreal's Felix Auger-Aliassime has advanced to his first ATP Masters final, and he hasn't had to play all that much tennis to do it.