Thousands of animals have died in the region where many dairy and poultry farms are located: Lana Popham

Agriculture Minister Lana Popham says the province is rushing to develop routes for veterinarians to access animals that survived flooding that swamped the Fraser Valley.

Popham says thousands of animals have died in the region where many dairy and poultry farms are located.

She says desperate farmers tried to rescue their animals but had to abandon them as floodwaters started swamping roads.

She says even animals that were ferried out of barns are in poor health and need help.

Popham says not all farmers had time or the means to get their animals out as water moved in.

BC declared a state of emergency today after the atmospheric river of rain swamped the southern part of the province, washing out roads, causing landslides and flooding communities.