More evacuation orders downgraded in Abbotsford but rain and wind warnings issued across B.C.
CBC
The receding of floodwaters in Abbotsford, B.C., has led officials to reopen Highway 1 and downgrade some evacuation orders, though more rain is expected across the Fraser Valley and other parts of the province.
The City of Abbotsford announced Sunday afternoon that evacuation orders for 248 properties in Sumas Prairie have been downgraded to evacuation alerts.
The properties downgraded include those from Sumas Dike/Marion Road west to most properties accessible from Whatcom Road, and most properties south of the Sumas River.
A flood warning remains in effect for Sumas River, according to the city, and residents on evacuation alert should remain ready to evacuate at a moment's notice.
Abbotsford's interactive evacuation map has been updated and is searchable by address.
In an update Sunday morning, the Ministry of Transportation and Transit said Highway 1 had opened through Abbotsford, with one eastbound lane and both westbound lanes available.
DriveBC has a list of all other road closures and reopenings.
Environment Canada issued several weather warnings on Sunday.
As of 5:30 p.m. PT Sunday, orange level rainfall warnings are in effect for Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Mission, Skagit Valley Park, the Coquihalla — Highway 5 — between Hope and Merritt, and along Highway 3 from Hope to Princeton.
Several other yellow weather warnings are also in effect, with forecasters expecting heavy rain on Vancouver Island, in parts of Metro Vancouver, and the Sea-to-Sky corridor. Meanwhile wind and winter storm warnings are in effect for the central coast, a large swath of the province's north, including Terrace, Fort Nelson, Chetwynd and Dawson Creek.
According to the agency's colour-coded warning system, yellow indicates hazardous weather that could cause moderate or localized impacts, orange alerts indicate severe weather with widespread or lasting impacts, and red alerts are reserved for extreme, potentially life-threatening events.
The weather agency is also warning of possible landslides in vulnerable areas, including on steep slopes, deforested regions and recent burn scars.
Abbotsford Mayor Ross Siemens says that while floodwaters in the city have been receding, there is still overflow water coming across the border from the Nooksack River.
The city's emergency operations centre is still active, and will "continue to closely monitor" river levels and the weather in the coming days. "Today we breathe a little easier and we are grateful to see some of the residents returning," he said.
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