British Columbia’s public safety minister is thanking Canadian Armed Forces personnel and provincial partners for their assistance in responding to communities devastated by flooding.
Mike Farnworth says in a statement that the military deployment ends Friday after a month of helping in the wake of unprecedented rainfall that caused fatal mudslides and damaging floods.
There were 748 personnel and nine military aircraft assigned to help with the floods.
Their work included filling and placing sandbags to protect homes and businesses, constructing a so-called tiger dam to stop the damage on Highway 1, and delivering more than 31,000 kilograms of food, vaccines and other supplies to Kamloops, Chilliwack, Kelowna, Vernon and Merritt.
With conditions improving, Farnworth says recovery efforts will be managed by contractors, non-governmental organizations and a specialized contingent from the BC Wildfire Service.
Farnworth also thanked the provinces of Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta for their support during the initial response.
“In times like these, it is comforting to know that other provinces and the Canadian Armed Forces are there to be called upon to help,” Farnworth says.