Rain, melting snow pose flooding concerns across B.C. as evacuations lift
Posted May 22, 2018 4:30 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Many people forced from their homes by flooding in southern British Columbia have been allowed to return, but officials say there are still areas of concern in many areas of the province.
Evacuation orders for more than 1,000 properties across the province were downgraded to alerts over the long weekend, though residents of about 700 properties remain out of their homes.
Dave Campbell of the River Forecast Centre says the risk of unseasonably high temperatures continuing to melt snow at a rapid rate has decreased for many areas that have seen significant flooding.
But he says large snowpacks could still pose risks for the Thompson and Fraser rivers, and for the Kootenay region, if melting snow overwhelms them.
Campbell says severe rainfall could also cause flooding and June is known to bring wet weather across the province.
Chris Duffy of Emergency Management BC says there are still about 300 Canadian Forces personnel and about 380 wildfire crews helping with the flood response.
