Key takeaways:
- To recover from the province’s record-breaking rainfall earlier this month, B.C. is bracing for more rain in the coming days and weeks.
- Abbotsford replaced a boil water advisory for Sumas Prairie residents with a do not use water advisory.
British Columbia is bracing for more rain in the coming days and weeks as it seeks to recover from the province’s record-breaking rainfall earlier this month.
Starting this morning and lasting through Friday, Metro Vancouver, Howe Sound, Whistler, and the Fraser Valley are supposed to get up to 80 millimeters of rain.
This weather system is expected to bring strong southeast winds near the ocean, and freezing levels will climb above mountain summits, potentially triggering snowmelt and worsening the flooding situation.
The River Forecast Centre has issued a high streamflow alert for the South Coast, including the Fraser Valley and the area surrounding Hope, which have been hit hard by flooding.
Also read: In southwestern Newfoundland, a storm washes out parts of the Trans-Canada Highway
Rivers are supposed to rise as a result of the rain on Thursday, according to forecasters.
Vancouver Island, the Central Coast, and the North Coast are under wind, rain, and snowfall warnings.
However, once that storm passes, another is expected to hit the coast on Saturday.
Due to the weather, B.C. Hydro expects increased water flow into its South Coast and Vancouver Island reservoirs, as well as a higher chance of power disruptions this week, according to a statement posted Wednesday.
Heavy wind and landslides destroyed several areas of the province’s hydro system last week, causing power outages; engineers are trying to restore transmission structures, power lines, and wires as the next round of storms approach.
The energy company advises residents to be ready if they lose power in the coming days and stay 10 meters away from downed power lines.
“The next nine or ten days might be extremely hard,” said Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth during a press conference on Tuesday, urging British Columbians to pay close attention to weather projections in the coming days.
Merritt, where some residents are returning following last week’s floods, has declared that its courtroom will be closed for the next week due to the state of emergency. The Kamloops Court Registry is requesting that anyone who has a court appearance contact them.
Mayor Henry Braun of Abbotsford asks citizens to pack an emergency kit ahead of the next storm and says rain is the city’s main concern.
Braun praised folks who have called him from coast to coast to express that the City of Abbotsford is on their minds during a news conference on Wednesday.
“Please keep praying for us because we are in serious need,” he stated.
The City of Abbotsford has issued a water advisory.
On Wednesday, Abbotsford replaced a boil water advisory for Sumas Prairie residents with a do not use water advisory.
Toilet flushing is allowed, but the city warns that there are uncontrollable water main breaks in the area that might allow surface water to contaminate the drinking water supply.
The affected region stretches from Angus Campbell Road in the west to Highway One in the north, the Chilliwack border in the east, the U.S. border, and Old Yale Road in the south. The rest of Abbotsford is unaffected.
The warning might be in effect for several days.
Although recent dike repairs have helped stop water flow into the prairie lake bottom area, Braun stated that water must still be pumped out.
“As you can expect, this isn’t clean water,” Braun explained. “We know there is harmful and potentially toxic stuff in these floodwaters, which is why an environmental study of the area is required to ensure its safety.”
Bridges, roads, culverts, and drainage infrastructure are being inspected, he said. Evacuees are still being assessed for damage to determine when they can return home.
Source: CBC News
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