Hundreds of people are under evacuation orders and alerts on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border on Thursday following an atmospheric river that hit the region starting on Wednesday.
The City of Abbotsford issued a new evacuation order for 82 properties in Huntingdon Village, up to 2nd Ave. and Sumas Way.
An evacuation order remains in place for 371 properties in Sumas Prairie West and evacuation alerts remain in place for 1,069 properties in Sumas Prairie East and West.
The evacuation alert for Clayburn Village has been lifted. Residents are reminded to stay away from waterways and to avoid driving across water-covered roads or bridges.
The City of Abbotsford has provided an interactive map showing the evacuation orders and alerts.
Fifteen families spent the night at the Reception Centre at the Abbotsford Recreation Centre, which will remain open to provide shelter and assistance.
The city said that farmers have also been working through the night to remove livestock from the affected area.
A total of 165 farming operations with livestock are currently in the evacuation area, with 66 of those under evacuation order.
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A total of 15 families spent the night at the Reception Centre at the Abbotsford Recreation Centre (2499 McMillan Road). The Reception Centre will remain open to provide immediate shelter and assistance for residents impacted by these orders. We ask that all evacuated residents check in with the Reception Centre either in person or online within 24 hours.
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Crews are also responding to a landslide on the southeast corner of Sumas Prairie, which is currently impacting one property as well as the SRY rail line, the city said.
Meanwhile, the Fraser Valley Regional District issued an evacuation order for eight properties along the Chilliwack River on Thursday.
The properties are located in Electoral Area E – Wilson Road area.
The properties under Evacuation Order include: 4292 Wilson Road, 4293 Wilson Road, 4313 Wilson Road, 4335 Wilson Road, 4345 Wilson Road, 4294 Wilson Road, 4296 Wilson Road, 4298 Wilson Road.
An evacuation alert is in effect for several properties on Chilliwack Lake Road.
Local states of emergency have been declared in Abbotsford and the Fraser Valley Regional District.
The atmospheric river also prompted the closure of all major highways between the Lower Mainland and the Interior on Wednesday night.
The drenching rains brought by an atmospheric river system that slammed both sides of the border recall the 2021 floods that saw waters from the Nooksack inundate the Sumas Prairie, causing billions in damage.
Environment Canada says the rain peaked in the Fraser Valley, where 140 millimetres were recorded in Hope and 110 millimetres in Chilliwack up to 4 a.m.
A state of emergency has also been declared in Washington, with Amtrak trains between Seattle and Vancouver suspended.
Washington State Gov. Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency on Wednesday due to the flooding, with 100,000 people expected to be displaced statewide.
— With files from The Canadian Press
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