Close X
Monday, December 23, 2024
ADVT 
National

Evacuation alerts lifted as flood risk recedes across B.C.'s South Coast

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 02 Feb, 2024 10:57 AM
  • Evacuation alerts lifted as flood risk recedes across B.C.'s South Coast

Pemberton resident Dean Matt's anxiety has waxed and waned this week with the levels of the swollen Lillooet River on B.C.'s South Coast.

Matt, owner of a roofing company, said his property at the river's edge had been under threat earlier this week.

But he and others received a reprieve Thursday when the Village of Pemberton rescinded evacuation alerts for several dozen properties whose residents had previously been told to be ready to leave on short notice.

British Columbia's River Forecast Centre lifted a flood warning for the Lillooet and Squamish rivers, saying flows remain high but rainfall and snowmelt are tapering off.

"It was kind of stressful," said Matt. "That was the Monday or Tuesday night where it was pretty well full, the river.

"We got a good break in the weather on Tuesday, I think it was, so that pretty much saved us. If we wouldn't have got that break, it would have been scary."

The river forecast centre also downgraded flood advisories across the province's South Coast as a stretch of warm, wet weather eased, with forecasts returning closer to seasonal temperatures by the weekend.

"Based on forecasts and current observations on the ground, things are currently looking favourable," said Pemberton emergency program officer Sarah Toews. 

"We're cautiously optimistic that the kind of worst impacts have passed."

Environment Canada has also lifted a rainfall warning for the Howe Sound area, including Squamish.

A flood watch remains in effect for the Sproat and Somass rivers on Vancouver Island, while lower-level streamflow advisories cover the rest of the South Coast.

Avalanche Canada, meanwhile, said conditions remained "very dangerous" in alpine areas throughout the Sea to Sky corridor, including mountains surrounding Whistler, Squamish and Pemberton.

"Hunting for dry snow in the alpine will put you closest to harm's way," said the latest bulletin posted by the agency for that region.

Environment Canada said another round of daily high-temperature records fell across southwestern B.C. on Wednesday, with West Vancouver reaching 17.9 C, almost three degrees higher than the previous Jan. 31 record set in 1993.

The River Forecast Centre said rain from the warm air system is expected to ease Friday, and cooler conditions should arrive by the weekend.

The forecast is welcome news for Matt, whose property didn't end up getting flooded or evacuated, although he said the golf courses down the road were partially underwater before the river receded.

"I'm sure they're going to have quite a cleanup in the spring," Matt said. "But overall, things are kind of back to normal now."

An earlier update from the River Forecast Centre said rainfall since last Friday ranged from 70 to more than 500 millimetres across the South Coast, while unseasonable warmth added between 75 and 150 millimetres of snowmelt earlier this week.

 

MORE National ARTICLES

Man dies in Surrey fire

Man dies in Surrey fire
A 54-year-old man is dead after a building fire in Surrey that also killed two pets. Surrey R-C-M-P say they got a report of a fire in the upper residential suites of a commercial building a little before 3:30 this morning.

Man dies in Surrey fire

Union and TransLink trade barbs as Metro Vancouver bus strike hits 300,000 commuters

Union and TransLink trade barbs as Metro Vancouver bus strike hits 300,000 commuters
Both sides blamed each other, with the CEO of regional transit authority TransLink saying the union's wage demands are unreasonable, while a union spokesman accused Coast Mountain of trying to bully them. The province's labour minister, meanwhile, considered appointing a special mediator with additional powers to help break the deadlock. 

Union and TransLink trade barbs as Metro Vancouver bus strike hits 300,000 commuters

Feds announce 36M for housing in BC

Feds announce 36M for housing in BC
The federal government has announced a 36-million-dollar funding plan to fast-track the construction of about one thousand housing units in Richmond. The funding will go toward the city's efforts to speed up development applications while also supporting zoning reforms and permitting optimization.  

Feds announce 36M for housing in BC

Help needed in hit and run

Help needed in hit and run
New Westminster police are asking for the public's help in finding the driver involved in a hit-and-run crash. Police say two vehicles crashed on Sunday around noon at the intersection of 6th Avenue and McBride Boulevard.  

Help needed in hit and run

Economics, affordability top agenda as Liberal cabinet meets in Montreal

Economics, affordability top agenda as Liberal cabinet meets in Montreal
One of the federal government's top priorities for the year ahead involves attracting new international grocers to Canada to expand competition and drive down prices, Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said Sunday as a cabinet retreat was about to begin in Montreal. The entire federal cabinet is in the city for a three-day retreat ahead of the return of Parliament on Jan. 29 and the next federal budget expected later this winter.

Economics, affordability top agenda as Liberal cabinet meets in Montreal

Metro Vancouver issues air quality bulletin after noxious smell triggers complaints

Metro Vancouver issues air quality bulletin after noxious smell triggers complaints
It said an incident at Burnaby's Parkland fuel refinery caused the "strong chemical odour" around the region and enforcement officers were sent to the site to make sure Parkland was complying with it's emissions permit. Metro Vancouver is responsible for issuing air emissions permits and environmental regulation.

Metro Vancouver issues air quality bulletin after noxious smell triggers complaints