People trapped in cars as flooding, mudslides close most major B.C. highways

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    A rainfall warning is still in effect for the South Coast with 100 to 150 millimetres expected into tomorrow, meantime major highways remain closed due to flooding, and mudslides.

    The heavy rain in Vancouver and parts of the South Coast has led to several problems and challenges, including making driving a nightmare along some major B.C. highways in and out of the region.

    Most major highways out of Vancouver are now closed due to mudslides and flooding across the province. The Sea-to-Sky highway is the only out of town highway not closed by flooding and mudslides.

    The BC River Forecast Centre issued a Flood Watch for the Fraser Valley and Fraser Canyon. A High Streamflow Advisory is in effect for Metro Vancouver, the Sunshine Coast, Howe Sound, and Sea-to-Sky.

     

    Related Article: Entire city of Merritt being evacuated due to flooding

     

    The District of Kent has declared a local State of Emergency due to flooding, and evacuation order have been issued for several properties. 

    The downpour has prompted the City of Abbotsford to declare a local state of emergency. An evacuation order has been issued for a handful of properties and several other homes are on evacuation alert.

    Any evacuees due to flooding in the city can go to the Abbotsford Recreation Centre on McMillian Road for help.


    Related Article: Abbotsford declares local state of emergency


    There are closures on Highway 1 in the Fraser Valley, on the Coquihalla Highway, and also on Highway 11 heading to the Canada/U.S. border, as the weather wreaked havoc on the roads.

    Highway 1 in the Fraser Valley

    Highway 1 is closed in both directions at Bridal Falls due to flooding and mudslides in the area. Eastbound drivers are being detoured via Highway 9 and Lougheed.

    mudslide

    Mudslides closed Highway 1 between Bridal Falls and Hope. (Courtesy Twitter/@TranBC)

    Video footage shows a car driving very slowly through a swampy, flooded road.

    Mudslides also closed Highway 1 from Hope all the way to Spences Bridge.

    Rescue underway of people trapped in cars on Lougheed Highway

    There are reports six to eight people are trapped in their cars after a 100-square-metre stretch of Highway 7 was covered by mudslides between Hope and Agassiz.

    Read more: Lougheed Highway shutdown due to mudslides

    David Boone, the Assistant Chief of Operations for Canada Task Force 1 – the Heavy Urban Search and Rescue team – says a team of around 35 first responders from various organizations are heading overnight to Agassiz to assist. They are expected to make a rescue overnight after heading up from the Vancouver area.

    Hundreds of cars are stuck between the mudslides, waiting for crews overnight.

    Jen Alexander is from Prince George and says she got stuck while driving down towards the Lower Mainland for her daughter’s birthday.

    “Just moving along and then all of a sudden we stopped, waited for quite a while and then I came out of Prince George. It’s my daughter’s 19th birthday on Tuesday so I was driving since 8am. She’s in Victoria so I was hoping to go down and spend a couple days with her.”

    Alexander says she hopes to make it out of the interior at to the ferries sometime Monday.

    Coquihalla Highway closed

    Once you get around that problem, you won’t be able to take the Coquihalla Highway into the Interior. That route is closed both ways between Hope and Merritt because of another mudslide.

    Video shared on social media shows water completely flooding the highway at between Box Canyon and Portia. In the video, shared by the B.C. Transportation Ministry, a man is heard calling the area a “disaster waiting to happen.”

    Photos taken by passengers in vehicles along the Coquihalla show the route flooded with muddy water.

    Hope-Princeton closed in both directions

    Mudslides have now closed Highway 3 at Sunshine Valley roughly 17 km east of Hope. Drive BC has no estimated time of reopening.

     

    Sumas border crossing reopens after overnight flooding

    Sumas Way in Abbotsford was closed at 4th Avenue due to flooding, blocking access to the Sumas border crossing, but has since reopened.

    Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada. To report severe weather, send an email to BCstorm@ec.gc.ca or tweet reports

    Listen live to CityNews 1130 every 10 minutes on the ones for major traffic updates. You can also check our traffic page, follow us on Twitter @CityNewsVAN or subscribe to breaking news alerts sent directly to your inbox.

    Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article indicated the Aldergrove border crossing closes at 8 p.m. It has been corrected to indicate it closes at midnight.

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