BC Is Considering A Provincial State Of Emergency After A 'Once In A Century' Storm
Widespread flooding, mudslides and communities cut off from the rest of province.
The B.C. government is reportedly considering a state of emergency across the province after a huge storm left communities stranded due to widespread flooding and landslides.
Mike Farnworth, the province's public safety minister, made the comments on Tuesday afternoon during his latest briefing, according to CBC, where he described the situation as "a natural disaster" and a "once in a century" storm.
He said that there would be a cabinet meeting on Wednesday regarding a state of emergency.
After another mudslide on Highway 99 North near Lillooet on Tuesday, which RCMP say killed one woman, all roads from the rest of Canada leading to Vancouver were blocked.
As it stands on Wednesday morning, one lane of Highway 7 west of Agassiz but this is for emergency vehicles only.
According to Drive BC, the road closures in the map above are all still in place.
In Merritt, where an evacuation order was issued to all residents, checkpoints are in place to stop anyone entering the city.
On Monday, residents were told to seek shelter with family or friends who live outside of the city or to drive to refuge centres in Kelowna and Kamloops.
One grocery store, reportedly near the highway in Kamloops, was overwhelmed as people stocked up on groceries.
Parts of BC currently look unrecognizable as widespread flooding transforms major transport routes like Highway 1 into a river.
In Vancouver, a barge which crashed into the seawall is now reportedly stuck, as CTV report that a tug boat was unable to move the vessel.