Abbotsford Mayor lifts evacuation order for Northern Sumas Prairie
Posted December 3, 2021 7:34 pm.
Last Updated December 3, 2021 7:47 pm.
There was a glimmer of hope in the flood-battered city of Abbotsford as the sun shone on Friday.
People began to return to their homes in the Sumas Prairie, but the monumental flood and disaster recovery work has only just begun.
“I have friends up there. I’m glad to see them go back,” said Abbotsford Mayor Henry Braun, through tears, on Friday.
“As the first step in implementing our return home plan, I am lifting the evacuation order for the north area of Sumas Prairie effective immediately.”
DECEMBER 3 UPDATE: The Evacuation Order has been rescinded for Sumas Prairie North. An evacuation alert will remain in effect in this area until further notice.
View the Return Home Plan website for full details.
https://t.co/dCH0hmsv2x pic.twitter.com/49Fok2rMnI
— City of Abbotsford (@City_Abbotsford) December 3, 2021
There are four main areas where evacuations will be lifted in the days ahead: South, Central, Lake Bottom, and North.
“Our objective is to ensure that as many people as possible can return home safely while not being held up by areas that may not be accessible due to unsafe conditions,” said Braun.
Update to livestock impacted by #BCFlood:
Ag Min @lanapopham says 628,000 poultry, 420 dairy cattle and approximately 12,000 hogs have died, while 110 beehives have been submerged
“The work by farmers and volunteers and companies… continues to be extremely heartbreaking.”— Lasia Kretzel (@rhymeswpretzel) December 2, 2021
Houses have been lost, farm animals left to drown, and crops destroyed after a series of natural disasters hit B.C.
Hundreds of people were displaced, and Abbotsford was hit hard. The Mayor expressed gratitude for the support the city received.
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‘I built it as a dream house’: Sumas Prairie farmers still struggling to comprehend loss
One of the groups assisting with recovery efforts is Team Rubicon, a group of ex-military and other emergency responders. They have been mapping hazards, helping with sandbags, and speaking with residents.
Ric Henderson, Fraser Valley Incident Commander with Team Rubicon, says there’s still lots of work to do on damaged homes. So far, what they’ve seen has been “heartbreaking.”
“We’re just doing that assessment right now, but talking to people — we’ve seen people who have lost everything in some cases — homes flooded, farms flooded, that sort of thing,” he said.
Team Rubicon focuses on serving vulnerable populations affected by disaster. The financial burden of recovery and rebuilding has long-lasting repercussions on many rural and urban populations lacking proper insurance and resources. Learn more:https://t.co/TzQI5LZXic
— Team Rubicon (@TeamRubicon) December 1, 2021
Once water levels are lower, they will be able to help people get debris and water out of their homes.
“We call it mucking — mucking out a basement, for example, getting out debris,” said Henderson.
“If you have a flood in a basement with drywall, you have to take that drywall out. That’s the kind of stuff we’re looking forward to doing.”
NEW: Good news out of #Abbotsford. Mayor Henry Braun tells @CityNewsVAN he thinks his city is safe from more flooding. “I see light at the end of the tunnel and it’s not a train.” Focus turning to long + costly recovery. “I can see a $2 billion bill here coming up pretty quick.”
— Monika Gul (@MonikaGul) December 2, 2021
The eastern parts of the Sumas Prairie near the U.S. border will likely be the next parts to dry up, allowing access to a major local route that allows people to travel east and west along the prairie.
“I want it to be really clear, though: The hardest work is still ahead of us. This is going to be a long process,” said Braun.
“For some, it will be five years. That I can see already for the blueberry farmers. Others, maybe six months or a year.”
As for a full recovery timeline, Braun says he’s been told it could take a decade.
