B.C. closing highways as downpour begins in newest storm

Article content material

British Columbia’s Transportation Ministry proactively closed a number of highways on Saturday as one other storm hammered the already saturated south coast.

The closures apply to highways between the Decrease Mainland and Inside that have been beforehand affected by main flooding and have been solely open to important visitors because the province labored to revive broken infrastructure and handle a fuel scarcity attributable to the catastrophe.

Freeway 3 between Hope and Princeton, Freeway 1 between Hope and Popkum and Freeway 1 within the Fraser Canyon will likely be closed at 2 p.m. Freeway 99 between Pemberton and Lillooet will likely be closed at 4 p.m., the province stated.

Article content material

“The freeway infrastructure in these areas is extraordinarily weak following current storm occasions. Extra heavy rain within the forecast poses an extra danger,” the Ministry stated in an announcement.

The period of closures will rely upon the climate and the closures will likely be re-evaluated Sunday morning, it stated.

Rainfall warnings blanketed the Decrease Mainland, the central coast and elements of Vancouver Island Saturday, with downpours starting as a part of the second in a set of three storms forecasted for the area.

Setting Canada is warning that as much as 120mm of rain may fall on mountainous areas like Squamish by Sunday afternoon, whereas different areas struggling to get better from current floods additionally braced for extra rain.

Article content material

The company issued a particular climate alert protecting Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, the Sunshine Coast and elements of Vancouver Island. Setting Canada stated the rains would intensify Saturday night time, ease Sunday afternoon and return once more early subsequent week.

The centre that displays the province’s waterways upgraded it’s advisory Saturday for elements of Vancouver Island to a flood watch, that means rising rivers could spill out of the channels and flood close by areas.

The River Forecast Centre’s flood watch applies south of Campbell River and Gold River, with the heaviest rainfall anticipated round Port Renfrew by to Cowichan Lake and the Sooke River watershed.

The centre additional warned that the potential for flood flows lengthen onto the japanese slopes of Vancouver Island, together with the Koksilah, Chemainus, Cowichan and Englishman rivers and surrounding areas.

Article content material

“The general public is suggested to remain away from the fast-flowing rivers and probably unstable riverbanks in the course of the high-streamflow interval,” the centre says in an announcement.

Flood watches are already in place for a lot of the Decrease Mainland, and the centre added new excessive streamflow advisories for elements of the Inside across the Tulameen, Similkameen, Coldwater and Nicola rivers.

“Flooding final week has created elevated vulnerabilities all through the area and forecast flows, resulting in elevated dangers to impacts,” it stated.

Along with climate issues, the province stated the closure of Freeway 1 between Popkum and Hope is critical resulting from reservoir releases by B.C. Hydro. It stated the transfer is essential to guard the Jones Lake Reservoir, which can also be being affected by heavy rain.

Article content material

B.C. Hydro stated in a video assertion that it’s working with the Ministry to observe the reservoir and is ready to launch water to forestall overflows.

Crews are on standby throughout the province ought to the storms trigger energy outages, it added.

On Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier John Horgan held a press convention asserting a joint committee of cupboard ministers to cope with the devastation attributable to flooding.

Trudeau stated the committee can be used to determine a mannequin for the remainder of Canada because it offers with the results of local weather change.

The federal and provincial governments each additionally pledged to match donations for flood aid which are given to the Pink Cross.

Begin your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused information and opinion delivered straight to your inbox at 7 a.m., Monday to Friday by subscribing to our Dawn publication right here .

CLICK HERE to report a typo.

Is there extra to this story? We’d like to listen to from you about this or every other tales you assume we should always find out about. Electronic mail vantips@postmedia.com.