WATCH: Round two of this December storm has forced dozens of people from their homes on Vancouver Island. Randene Neill has more on the damage caused by flooding and mudslides.
Raging weather battered much of B.C. as the second major Pacific storm rolled onto the B.C. coast Wednesday.
A rainfall warning had been in effect all day for most of the south coast including Vancouver Island, Sunshine Coast, Howe Sound, Whistler, metro Vancouver and Fraser Valley. Total rainfalls for the day should be in the range of 40 to 70 mm and the rain is not expected to ease off until evening hours.
This rain came in addition to the last two days of rainfall where some parts of Vancouver Island and Sunshine Coast saw 320 mm.
On Wednesday night, Highway 99 flooded south of Lions Bay. Nearby Turpin Creek breached and the road flooded with an estimated 8 inches of water across the highway. The highway was closed, but has since reopened with left lanes blocked in both directions. No evacuation order has been issued, but residents living below the creek have been advised of the situation.
An extreme weather alert was issued for Vancouver on Wednesday. According to BC Housing, additional shelters are open in response to the warning. They are located at:
- St. Mark’s Extreme Weather Shelter (1805 Larch St): 25 mats
- Union Gospel Mission (601 East Hastings): 20 mats
- First Baptist Church (969 Burrard St): 35 mats
- Catholic Charities (828 Cambie St): 20 mats
- Directions Youth Services Centre (1138 Burrard St): 15 youth mats
In Qualicum Beach, firefighters had to use chainsaws to free a man trapped inside his home that was partially buried by a mudslide.
Along with the rain, strong southeast winds up to 100 km/h hit parts of the South Coast. Wind warnings were issued but were lifted late morning as the winds eased off. There were not as many power outages and ferry cancellations as yesterday due to the period of peak winds being very short — only two to three hours worth. This shortened period of wind also meant for less storm surge this morning.
READ MORE: State of Emergency continues in Courtenay due to flooding, high water
PHOTOS: Campbell River dealing with flooding, road closures
Meanwhile, residents in Delta braced for another fierce lashing from Mother Nature, but residents breathed a sigh of relief as their homes remained free of flooding, even as the public was warned to stay away from the shoreline.
A mudslide washed away a home in Dashwood near Parksville Wednesday morning. One person was trapped inside but they have been rescued and taken to Nanaimo General Hospital.
Due to extreme weather in Alberni Valley, the Alberni-Clayquot Regional District has activated a Level One Emergency Operations Centre in Port Alberni.
WATCH: Global BC‘s Grace Ke braves the elements in Delta where a state of local emergency was declared Tuesday afternoon.
Along with the wind and rain, the subtropical flow of air sent temperatures soaring on Tuesday and again today with a number of record highs set in southern B.C.
White Rock set a new temperature record of 17 degrees, breaking the old record of 14.5 degrees on this day in 1993.
Temperature records were set today in West Vancouver, Saturna Island, Nelson, Campbell River, Clinton, Creston, Powell River, Princeton, Sparwood and Summerland and Port Alberni, which experienced extensive flooding on Tuesday.
Tomorrow, a brief period of dry weather in the morning is expected prior to the next system pushing in. Wind and rain will again be in the area in the afternoon but nearly as intense as the last two storms. Temperatures are also expected to cool off tomorrow.
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