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Rainfall, flood advisories remain in effect on B.C.'s South Coast

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Rainfall warnings remained in effect for much of B.C.'s South Coast Sunday, with periods of heavy rain in the forecast through the afternoon.

Flood warnings in Coquitlam and on the west coast of Vancouver Island have been downgraded to watches, however, as the atmospheric river that wreaked havoc on the province's election day winds down.In Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, Environment and Climate Change Canada predicted an additional 20 to 40 millimetres of rain Sunday.

That's in addition to the more than 150 millimetres that has fallen in some locations during this weekend's storm so far.

Preliminary rainfall totals in the Lower Mainland ranged from 87 millimetres in Hope to as much as 228 millimetres in parts of Coquitlam as of 5 a.m. Sunday, according to ECCC data.

The weather agency showed 106 millimetres of precipitation at Vancouver International Airport, 150 in Vancouver Harbour and 177 in West Vancouver, where the downpour turned 21st Street into a raging river for part of the day Saturday.

The Tri-Cities were also hard hit, with the Coquitlam River overflowing its banks Saturday, prompting a flood warning from the B.C. River Forecast Centre

Coquitlam Search and Rescue responded to Mount Burke Saturday afternoon to rescue three hikers stranded by overflowing rivers, documenting their highline rescue on social media.

Shortly before 9 p.m., the team said all three hikers had been rescued.

Searchers were still working on Sunday to find the owner of a home that was swept away in a mudslide on Quarry Road in Coquitlam Saturday.

On Vancouver Island, Environment Canada says further rainfall totals of 30 to 40 millimetres are possible on Sunday.

As of Sunday morning, Tofino had already seen 213 millimetres of precipitation from the storm, while Kennedy Lake had seen a whopping 301 millimetres.

Whether on the island or the mainland, the weather agency warns the public to be prepared for localized flooding, water pooling on roads, swollen rivers and creeks and an increased risk of washouts and rock slides. 

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