Flooding prompts wider evacuations and highway closures across southern B.C.

Communities across southern British Columbia are facing new evacuation orders and travel disruptions after heavy rainfall triggered flooding and landslides that severed key routes between the Lower Mainland and the Interior. Provincial officials say multiple highways, including the Coquihalla and Highways 1, 3, 5 and 11, remain shut as crews assess washouts and unstable slopes. The closure of Highway 11 has also halted access to the Sumas border crossing.

In Abbotsford, 371 properties on the Sumas Prairie were ordered evacuated overnight as waters linked to the overflowing Nooksack River continued to rise. More than 600 additional homes remain on evacuation alert. The city and the Fraser Valley Regional District have both declared local states of emergency to assist with response efforts.

Nearby, the Regional District of Okanagan–Similkameen is cautioning residents of Tulameen to be ready to leave on short notice as river levels fluctuate. Emergency officials say the atmospheric river that hit the region has delivered rainfall amounts similar to the 2021 event, which caused widespread flooding and significant agricultural and infrastructure losses.

Provincial water managers report that flows from the Nooksack River, which breached its banks in Washington state, are reaching levels comparable to the 2021 flood and were expected to crest today. Environment Canada recorded up to 140 millimetres of rain in Hope and 110 millimetres in Chilliwack during the overnight period.

Washington state has also declared a state of emergency, with rail service between Seattle and Vancouver suspended as a precaution. Local authorities in both countries warn that changing weather conditions may lead to additional alerts through the day.