British Columbia has again faced torrential rains since Saturday evening, forcing authorities to do everything in their power to prevent further disasters, nearly two weeks after the first floods.
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“We are in the midst of one of the most intense series of storms we have seen along the coast of British Columbia,” Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said during a briefing. press held Sunday morning.
Faced with the next heavy rainfall expected on Monday and Tuesday, the government has announced that it is ready to use its alert program for the first time.
“These are historic weather conditions intensified by climate change,” Farnworth said.
On the transportation side, Minister Rob Fleming mentioned that no major landslides have been reported, although some roads suffered from minor debris and rockfall issues.
“The cleaning is underway, we have geotechnical engineers who are currently evaluating when they can reopen,” he said in the morning.
All eyes on the river in Abbotsford
Once again, the municipality of Abbotsford was not spared by the storm and nearly 90 homes had to be evacuated early Sunday morning in the Huntingdon Village district.
The area had been particularly watched since Saturday for fear of overflowing the Nooksack River, which is in neighboring Washington state. Members of the Canadian Armed Forces then placed sandbags in an attempt to protect houses.
Nearly 50 millimeters of water began to flow towards the village in the morning, but did not come from the stream.
“It’s the precipitation and snowmelt from Mount Baker. These fields are all very saturated. Water can’t go anywhere, so it skates through these fields and crosses the border, ”Abbostford Mayor Henry Braun told Global News.
Authorities on the Washington side have nevertheless suggested that the river could reach its peak sometime in the afternoon.
“Today is a decisive day. It’s time. And we will not know for a few hours what will happen, ”added the mayor to the media. “It is when the flood level is reached that the situation becomes critical. If the breach repairs hold and the Nooksack stays in its channel, you’ll be fine. It’s going to be tight. “