Flood watches ended for Vancouver Island as storm dissipates

Flood watches ended for Vancouver Island as storm dissipates
CHEK
File: Ahead of the storm, troops were called in to help sandbag areas along the Cowichan River on Vancouver Island.

The B.C. River Forecast Centre ended flood watches for Vancouver Island and other parts of the province Thursday morning as the final atmospheric river in a series of three storms dissipated.

Flood watches and high streamflow advisories were ended for:

  • Northern Vancouver Island
  • Central Vancouver Island
  • Eastern Vancouver Island
  • Southern Vancouver Island
  • Western Vancouver Island
  • North Coast including areas around Prince Rupert, Kitimat, Hartley Bay, Kemano and
    surrounding tributaries
  • Central Coast including areas around Bella Coola, Wuikinuxv, Kingcome and
    surrounding tributaries

The centre says between 105-220 millimetres fell on western Vancouver Island during the storm, while up to 50 mm fell on sheltered areas of east and south Vancouver Island.

On the island, between 20-30 mm of snowmelt helped contribute to river runoff.

“Rivers have reached peak levels and are now receding in all areas. Conditions are expected to stabilize across the region on Thursday,” the centre said.

There is no severe weather expected into the weekend, but the forecast centre said it’s monitoring risks from active weather next week.

Members of the public are still urged to stay clear of fast-moving rivers and potentially unstable riverbanks.

Environment Canada has also ended all of its rainfall warnings for Vancouver Island.

Flood warnings are still in effect for parts of the Lower Mainland, including the Fraser Valley and B.C.’s Southern Interior, and hundreds of homes remained evacuated because of heavy rainfall.

There were 13 evacuation orders in the Fraser Valley Regional District in its coverage area from Boston Bar to Abbotsford.

Another 1,664 homes were on alert, most of them in Hatzic Valley, where numerous rivers and streams were at or near overflowing.

The Coquihalla River was one of several major waterways where the River Forecast Centre upgraded flood watches to warnings, meaning that river levels have exceeded their banks or will exceed them imminently, causing flooding of adjacent areas.

Flood warnings were also issued for the Chilliwack River, the Lower Fraser tributaries and the Tulameen, Similkameen, Coldwater and Lower Nicola rivers, as well as Spius Creek.

With files from The Canadian Press

 

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