Victoria, British Columbia — Weather warnings in B.C. were eased Tuesday morning following days of intense rainfall that caused severe flooding and major highway closures across the province.
Thousands across southern B.C. were under an evacuation order Monday and Tuesday due to a storm that washed out major highways, spurred mudslides and cut power across the region.
On Nov. 14, Environment Canada issued a rainfall warning calling for up to 250 mm of rain by late Monday. As of Nov. 16, some parts of the province had seen as much as 252 mm of rain.
As of Monday afternoon, more than 10 southern B.C. highways were closed to accommodate flood damages, including Highway 99, which connects the lower mainland Vancouver with the rest of Canada.
At this point in time, there is no clear timeline as to when the province’s highway network will be fully functional again.
The average monthly rainfall for Vancouver in November is 185 mm.
“This is definitely a rare, if not a once-in-a-lifetime event for us here on the coast,” an Environment Canada meteorologist told CBC.
