Floods in British Columbia | A short lull before more rains

British Columbia is taking advantage of a short lull in the weather to measure the full extent of the flooding that has hit the south of the province. A disaster that could cost hundreds of millions of dollars, estimates the mayor of Abbotsford, one of the cities affected by the tragedy. And the situation could worsen as we expect more rain in the next few days.

Eric-Pierre Champagne
Press

“We don’t know how long all this will last”

In Abbotsford, a city of 162,000 people 70 km east of Vancouver, 600 people were forced to leave their homes because of the flooding. The University of the Fraser Valley has canceled all of its classes until the end of the week. At least three primary schools are closed and several other establishments provide temporary distance education. Several businesses have temporarily closed their doors. This is particularly the case with the Clarion Hotel, where Tracee Froment works as a room attendant. “At home it’s fine, but at work the hotel lobby is completely flooded. So I am waiting to know what will happen ”, she confided to Press. In stores, grocery stores, “most people act normally, but some panic and buy whatever they can find,” adds the mother, who says she feels some anxiety. “We don’t know how long this will last. ”

The army is coming

Soldiers were deployed Thursday, on land and in the air, in the region. Royal Air Force soldiers rescued more than 300 motorists and nearly 30 pets using three helicopters. Seventy troops are on their way to Abbotsford and up to 350 could be deployed quickly. The Minister of National Defense, Anita Anand, clarified that “thousands more” were ready to intervene if necessary. The army has also flown over the entire region to try to assess the extent of the damage. According to Abbotsford Mayor Henry Braun, the costs of the disaster could total hundreds of millions of dollars. “When you start doing calculations, you quickly go up to 1 billion, in my opinion. ”

An agricultural region

The flooding could also have longer-term effects, as the Fraser Valley is the main producer of eggs and chicken in British Columbia. Half of the province’s dairy production is located there. It is also the second most important region for the production of vegetables. While it is difficult for now to assess the losses suffered, even dairy farmers who were not inundated have been affected. Many had to throw out milk altogether since many roads were closed: it was impossible for the trucks to collect the milk for transport to the pasteurization plant. “We are in the midst of a crisis and we are seeking to meet the immediate needs – shelter, food and supplies – of evacuees, farmers and businesses,” said Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce president Katerina. Anastasiadis, at Press.

“Give up your animals”

At least 63 dairy farmers have been ordered to evacuate their farms in the area, according to the British Columbia Dairy Association. Earlier this week, the mayor of Abbotsford pleaded with farmers to abandon their animals and leave their farm. “I know it’s hard for farmers to leave their cattle behind, but people’s lives are more important to me than cattle or chicken. On social networks, however, we have seen images of farmers trying to save their dairy cows from the rising waters. “A lot of people went to pick up their calves or cows in small boats,” says Sabrina Ratzlaff. A friend of mine was photographed with one of his cows in his rowboat. It was found everywhere on social networks. “M^me Ratzlaff, who lives in Abbotsford but has not been inundated, admits it is “quite devastating”. “I think for the most part we are sad and appalled to see what it will take to rebuild, but also for the thousands of lost animals. Everyone knows each other here. ”

The game is not won

In a press conference on Thursday, Henry Braun warned that his city was “far from being out of this situation”. “I’m not worried about the rain today. What worries me is next week. Between 80 and 100 mm of precipitation is expected. According to him, work should also be undertaken as quickly as possible before winter sets in. For their part, authorities at the port of Vancouver, the largest in Canada, said the floods had caused “significant” disruption to rail and road traffic, slowing its activities.

With The Canadian Press