Another rainstorm expected to hit Canada's British Columbia
Darpan News Desk IANS, 22 Nov, 2021 01:10 PM
Ottawa, Nov 22 (IANS) A second "atmospheric river" rainstorm is expected to hit Canada's still-flooded province of British Columbia, according to Environment Canada.
The rainstorm will dump up to 100 millimetres of rain on some areas, and flash flooding and water pooling are possible, along with localized flooding in lower-lying areas, Xinhua news agency reported.
Environment Canada also warned of heavy snow in inland parts of the province on Sunday, saying that the snow could change to heavy rain as the temperature rises.
Some 20-30 centimetre snow has already fallen since Saturday and more snow is expected on Sunday before strong, warm winds from the south begin to melt that snow.
The British Columbia government called on its residents on Sunday to get prepared for heavy rain and strong winds.
The government declared a state of emergency last Wednesday due to floods and mudslides caused by the first "atmospheric river" rainstorm which lasted a few days. At least four people died in one of the multiple mudslides.
Atmospheric rivers are long, high plumes of moisture-laden air that can bring hours- or days-long rainfall of varying intensity to the west coast of North America.
Repairing the British Columbia highways washed out by heavy rains and flooding will be complicated by the scale of the damage, the terrain and the coming winter, building experts say.
Starting Nov. 22, those wishing to access buildings in the parliamentary precinct, including elected members, will need to be fully vaccinated against the novel coronavirus.
The medical association is also calling on social media companies to address harassment and threats made on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Nicholas Schiavo of the advocacy group No Conversion Canada says he has spoken with the federal government about the new bill, and that it will "leave less room for loopholes."
The cause of the blaze and extent of damage to the vessel wasn’t immediately clear, though the Canadian Joint Operations Command reported there were no injuries. The ship is docked in the Norwegian city of Trondheim for repairs.
Senior U.S. government officials outlined the measure in advance of Thursday's meeting that President Joe Biden is hosting at the White House with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Andrés Manuel Lopez Obrador.
