Floods in British Columbia | After the flood, the threat of a winter storm

(Montreal) With gasoline already rationed and grocery stores running out of everything, a major snowstorm and rain threatened to hit British Columbia on Saturday night, risking further flooding.

Lila Dussault
Press

Environment Canada has issued a winter storm warning for British Columbia. A major snowstorm was expected Saturday evening in the north of the province. Further to the center, up to 100 millimeters of rain was expected in the Kitimat area, a phenomenon called an atmospheric river, which is likely to again cause flooding and landslides.

This storm is likely to move south on Sunday and hit areas already heavily affected by floods and mudslides earlier this week. Even though some roads were reopened on Saturday for essential travel, authorities are urging people to prepare for weather events.

“I urge people to pay close attention to weather warnings, given the unpredictability that comes with climate change,” said Mike Farnworth, BC Minister of Public Safety, during a briefing. press Saturday, as reported by the Vancouver Sun.

Separately, the body of a woman was found on Saturday in the landslide that swept away five to seven cars on Highway 99 near Pemberton earlier this week. This brings the death toll so far to four. One of them is Mirsad Hadzic, Global News confirmed. His wife is also one of the victims.

A little optimism in Abbotsford

The city of Abbotsford, the hardest hit by flooding in the Fraser Valley, continues to prepare for the rain that could arrive as early as Sunday.

Remember that 120 members of the Canadian Army arrived in Abbotsford on Friday. Emergency repairs to the embankment of the Sumas River, which gave way during Monday’s rainfall, are underway to consolidate it before the next rains arrive.

The city’s mayor, Henri Brown, was also optimistic on Saturday when valves on the Sumas were partially opened, allowing more flow to the Fraser. This relieved the city’s pumping system, reported the Vancouver Sun.

“This is very good news, it makes a huge difference,” said the mayor at a press conference on Saturday.

Empty grocery stores

“It is difficult to find milk for children, and diapers too, they are rare,” told Press Ty Boissonneault. With her pregnant partner and her 18-month-old twins, the Quebecer lives in Olivier, 350 kilometers from the epicenter of the floods that hit the city of Abbotsford. However, disruptions in supply chains hit the family hard.

“Even with the food, it’s stressful. There is no longer anything as fresh produce, there is no longer any meat or vegetables in the grocery stores, ”she worries. As soon as possible, the family, who moved to British Columbia last May, plan to return to Quebec.

Farther north, in Kelowna, supermarkets have been taken over by customers. “In three days, the grocery stores were emptied. I had a hard time doing my grocery shopping yesterday, describes Gabrielle Bélanger, who works in a supermarket. The things that are fresh, the pasta, the ramen, the [conserves], everything is gone! She added. In his opinion, the feeling of panic of the population has a lot to do with it. “The toilet paper is gone too,” she remarks.

Even in Vancouver, some food is scarce. “The last time I went to the grocery store, there was no more beef,” says Jonathan Larivière, a cook who lives in Richmond.

Gasoline is also rationed in British Columbia. A limit of 30 liters per visit to a gas station has been declared by the Minister of Public Security. Non-essential travel has also been banned on sections of Highways 99, 3 and 7.

17,000 people were affected by an evacuation order on Friday, or 6,900 properties. Among them, egg and milk producers, who had to leave their farms. “I have friends in Abbotsford who have a dairy farm. They brought out the cows [en motomarine] and by boat. And they lost everything! », Laments Ty Boissonneault.