A fresh wave of intense rainfall is currently impacting southwestern B.C. as the area grapples with the aftermath of recent flooding and destructive winds. The latest updates include the River Forecast Centre issuing a flood warning for the Coquitlam River downstream of the Coquitlam Dam. Around 100 properties are under evacuation orders, with 11 in Abbotsford and 1,200 on evacuation alert province-wide. Approximately 5,000 B.C. Hydro customers are experiencing power outages.
Tragically, a woman in Chilliwack lost her life when a tree fell on her during the recent strong winds. The closure of Highway 3 from Hope to Manning Park is in effect due to landslide damage. While the Sumas border remains open to passenger traffic, it is closed to commercial vehicles. DriveBC has provided a comprehensive list of road closures and reopenings for reference. Additionally, the City of Vancouver has opened extra shelter spaces in response to the heavy rainfall warning.
Environment Canada predicts up to 70 millimetres of rain in areas like Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, lasting through Wednesday morning. Rainfall warnings have been issued for southern regions of Vancouver Island, Howe Sound, parts of Metro Vancouver, and the Fraser Valley. Although cleanup efforts have commenced in the Fraser Valley, the flood risk persists for several B.C. rivers, including the North Shore of Metro Vancouver.
The B.C. River Forecast Centre has upgraded the flood warning status for the Chilliwack River and Sumas River, indicating potential flooding due to overflowing river levels. Vancouver Island, parts of the South Coast, and the Sea-to-Sky corridor are under flood warnings as heavy rain persists. Notably, the Coquitlam River downstream of the Coquitlam Dam has also been upgraded to a flood warning.
Squamish and Zeballos reported significant rainfall, prompting the District of Squamish to conduct a controlled wastewater release into the Harris Slough for plant pressure relief. The Seymour River on the North Shore Mountains experienced a rapid rise in water levels, prompting a flood warning that was later downgraded to a flood watch as conditions stabilized.
Federal Minister of Transport Steve MacKinnon emphasized the need for enhanced resiliency in transportation infrastructure to mitigate the impacts of frequent weather events. B.C. Hydro continues efforts to restore power to affected customers, with over 90,000 customers initially impacted by outages. Notably, several communities in B.C. set new daily high temperature records on Monday, with temperatures expected to drop significantly across the South Coast in the coming days.