B.C. storm: Dozens of highway closures, evacuation orders expanded over flood recovery
CTV
While intense rainfall has eased in much of southern B.C., the province is grappling with the severe impacts of flooding and wind that's led to evacuation orders, highway closures and power outages.
While intense rainfall has eased in much of southern B.C., the province is grappling with the severe impacts of flooding and wind that's led to evacuation orders, highway closures and power outages.
Two days of unrelenting rainfall saw rivers of mud and rock come crashing down on highways, forcing all highways in and out of the Lower Mainland to see some form of closure.
Evacuation orders displaced more than 7,000 people after the entire city of Merritt had to leave their homes. A burst dyke also put most of the town of Princeton underwater and some neighbourhoods in Abbotsford, where a local state of emergency was declared, were also put under evacuation order.
As of Tuesday morning, Drive BC continued to have dozens of highway closures listed on its site. Major routes connecting the Lower Mainland to the Interior were blocked, including Highway 5 between Hope and Merritt, Highway 3 and parts of Highway 1.
A full list of closed highways can be seen on the transportation ministry's website.
Tuesday saw the second day of school closures for some districts and new closures for others. In the Lower Mainland, Abbotsford, Chilliwack and Mission all cancelled class for the day over safety concerns because of the flooding.
Evacuation orders are in place for several communities across southern B.C.
