Heavy rain that fell overnight Saturday and through part of Sunday played havoc with Island roads, homes and sewer systems.
Sunday’s rainfall, as measured at Victoria International Airport, was more than twice the old record of 20 millimetres. It was also the hottest day on record for Victoria on a Dec. 12, as the temperature peaked at 13.9 C.
The district municipality of Sooke had an especially tough time, as it was cut off to vehicle access for several hours during the day. Flooding closed Sooke Road in the vicinity of West Coast Tire and Kangaroo Road, where problems have often occurred in the past, while a mudslide blocked the road to Port Renfrew.
Flooding was also a problem on many other roads around the region, including Blenkinsop, Interurban and Oldfield. There were a number of weather-related traffic accidents, and area police issued warnings to motorists to be aware of road conditions and pooling water.
Kyle Topelko of Plumb-Perfect Plumbing and Drainage Services said Sunday morning that he had 40 overnight calls about flooding basements.
West Shore RCMP Cpl. Mike Holmes said Sooke Road had reopened to one-lane, alternating traffic by the afternoon.
“There was, at one point, over three feet of water on the road,” he said.
Holmes said he drove to work in that area about 8 a.m. in his four-wheel-drive vehicle and barely made it through.
“About 9:30 a.m., they shut it down because they had three different trucks try to drive through and stall.”
After that, a tow truck tying to rescue the stuck vehicles also stalled, Holmes said.
Gillespie Road remained open during part of the period Sooke Road was closed, providing an alternate route – but then it flooded as well. Add to that the mudslide to the west, Holmes said, and Sooke was isolated.
Betsy Lockwood, who lives about eight kilometres west of Sooke in the Kemp Lake district, said problems came up when a culvert that runs beneath the road and through a neighbouring recreational-vehicle park was blocked due to high tides and debris.
Water in her yard was halfway up to her knees and her crawlspace was flooded, Lockwood said.
“It’s ugly. I’ve never seen it like this, and people that I’ve talked to that have been here for 30 years haven’t ever seen it like this.”
Yvan Sylvestre of Langford told CHEK-TV he and his family were rousted from bed about 5 a.m. as rocks slid from a slope above them and crashed into their home. The impact moved his seven-year-old son’s bed, but the boy was not hurt.
Another difficult area for motorists was at the top of Malahat Drive, which was flooded during the morning and impassable in the southbound lanes. Road crews were able to clear much of the water and get alternating traffic moving in both directions by early afternoon, but traffic remained backed up into the evening.
Holmes said West Shore officers were hearing reports of mini-waterfalls on most cliff faces.
“We’ve had ditches that filled and flowed over roads, and people’s yards washing out.”
Gravel and dirt were left on some of the roads after the water subsided, Holmes said.
In the late afternoon, Sooke Mayor Janet Evans said residents had taken their situation in stride.
“The roads were flooded in both directions. Better today than Monday on a work day, for sure. The rain has let up and, hopefully, it will stay that way.”
Heavy water flow also led to a public-health advisory from the Capital Regional District about the risk of stormwater and wastewater overflow on the eastern shore of Greater Victoria – an area stretching from Finnerty Point, near Queenswood Drive, to Clover Point.
“Fortunately, we’ve had a bit of a break in the weather [Sunday] afternoon so the systems are catching up,” said Ted Robbins, senior manager of Integrated Water Services for the CRD.
“We’ve been doing some sampling of the discharges at the shorelines and we’ll get those lab results starting [Monday] afternoon.”
Until then, the advisory and signs warning of the problem will remain in place, he said. The public is advised to be aware of the possible health risks when they are near affected beaches.
“We do see overflows periodically through the winter related to rain events,” Robbins said. “The unusual part about this one was the duration.”
The forecast for the next several days calls for showers. Monday has a 40 per cent chance of precipitation, rising to 60 per cent in the evening. Expect wind Monday afternoon and a high of 9 C.
jwbell@timescolonist.com
Roads closed, basements flooded, car accidents: Have you been affected by the heavy rainfall?
Tell us about it: localnews@timescolonist.com
Comments