Rains ease but storm surge heads for southwest B.C., posing new flood risk

Coastal British Columbia residents are grappling with a new flood risk as storm surge looms, despite rains easing across the region. Environment Canada warns that elevated water levels could surpass tidal predictions, driven by high winds and increased wave activity, peaking between 10 a.m. and noon. The warning applies to low-lying and exposed coastal areas of Metro Vancouver, southeast Vancouver Island, and the southern Gulf Islands.

Residents north of Squamish, B.C., continue to shelter in place following flooding caused by a series of storms this week. While most rainfall warnings have been lifted, two yellow warnings remain for western and inland Vancouver Island, indicating heavy rain is expected into late this afternoon, with Zeballos and Tahsis, on northwest Vancouver Island, facing the highest precipitation.

The ongoing deluge has resulted in over 300 millimeters of rain in parts of southwest B.C., leading to the evacuation of Pemberton, a community 150 kilometers north of Vancouver. Additionally, evacuation orders have been issued by the Lil'wat First Nation and in Zeballos.