Evacuation orders issued for hundreds in Abbotsford, B.C., amid flood warnings
CBC
Evacuation orders have been issued for 371 properties in Abbotsford, B.C., as heavy rains inundated southern B.C. and led to all major highways leading out of the Lower Mainland to be closed.
Just after 11 p.m. PT, the City of Abbotsford said that residents of hundreds of properties in the Sumas Prairie West area must leave immediately due to the risk of flooding.
Officials said the orders were issued after talks with the province and neighbouring Whatcom County south of the border, where the Nooksack River was among numerous waterways in Washington state to reach flood levels.
"Flood water is expected to arrive at the border in the early hours of Thursday morning," reads a statement from the city.
A reception centre has been set up at the Abbotsford Recreation Centre (2499 McMillan Road) for those needing assistance. A corresponding state of local emergency, and evacuation alerts for the eastern Sumas Prairie area, have also been issued.
It comes as an atmospheric river is bringing a torrent of rain across the southern portion of British Columbia, with much of the Fraser Valley facing the threat of flooding and all major routes leading out of the Lower Mainland closed late Wednesday.
The City of Abbotsford had earlier issued evacuation alerts late Wednesday afternoon for properties in the western Sumas Prairie and Clayburn Village areas and is encouraging residents to plan in case they have to leave suddenly.
The Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD) declared a local state of emergency Wednesday afternoon and issued an evacuation order for some properties in the Chilliwack River Valley.
As of 4:45 p.m. PT, the evacuation order affects eight properties along Wilson Road and two others on the Chilliwack Lake Road due to the high risk of flooding. People living in the area must leave immediately.
Ten other properties along Chilliwack Lake Road under under evacuation alert.
FVRD is urging residents in the alert area to prepare to leave on short notice.
The system moved into B.C.'s South Coast Tuesday evening, but Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist Ken Dosanjh told CBC News the precipitation is expected to peak late Wednesday afternoon and into the early evening.
"It's that time frame when we can anticipate the real heavy rain," he said.
Dosanjh said there are two high pressure systems, one over Yukon and one off the coast of California, that are acting like "the bread of a sandwich" to create "a storm highway" over southern B.C.
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