BC marks one year of the historic and damaging November floods (PHOTOS)
On this day last year, heavy rain was coming down on the south coast.
Over the next several days, southern BC would see a month’s worth of rainfall, and break all-time records in more than a dozen communities.
By the end of the week, that rain would lead to historic flooding that could be seen from space.
This time last year I was joking about bringing home a #PineappleExpress, an #AtmosphericRiver that originates from near #Hawaii… While #flooding was likely, few imagined the devastation that would ensue within the next 24hrs. Devastation that is still evident today!#BCfloods pic.twitter.com/uM061KChmS
— Ryan Voutilainen 🇨🇦🇫🇮🇺🇦 (@RyanVoutilainen) November 14, 2022
British Columbians were suddenly dropping meteorologic terms like “atmospheric river” in everyday conversation as meteorologists forecast more was to come.
But it didn’t really sink in for many people until Metro Vancouver was cut off from the rest of the province.
CLOSED #BCHwy5 – Between #HopeBC and #MerrittBC due to a mudslide. Alternate route available via #BCHwy3. No estimated time of reopening, assessment in progress. Next update time at approximately 1:30PM PDT. #Coquihalla #drivebc @DriveBC @511Alberta pic.twitter.com/MVP1QuZk5H
— desiprotruckerpb09 (@Baljitpadda3) November 14, 2021
On November 14, a mudslide hit the Coquihalla Highway between Hope and Merritt. It would be 66 days and extensive repairs before a noncommercial vehicle would take the vital route again.
Seven bridges were destroyed or collapsed along that route alone, and the permanent fixes are still ongoing more than a year later.
BC Transportation
Over the next few hours and days, one after another, mudslides, high water levels, and debris would damage every single route into and out of BC’s interior.
Fraser River flooding, from space. Amazing movement of topsoil into the sea. Stay safe, all. @NASA pic.twitter.com/k06r873PRa
— Chris Hadfield (@Cmdr_Hadfield) November 17, 2021
That meant that for weeks, the only way to get from Vancouver to Alberta for non-essential reasons was to go through the states or by plane.
The highway closures lead to weeks of shortages of several items including gasoline and milk.
Duffey Lake slide on Highway 99/BC Transportation
Tragically, five people were killed by a slide that suddenly came down on Highway 99.
Their families were forced to wait for the area to be stable enough in order for search teams to comb through the debris for their bodies.
Aerial footage of flooding in Abbotsford, BC / Sophia Middleton
Thousands of people were displaced in the floods and many people’s homes and farms were destroyed.
More than 640,000 animals were killed, despite tireless efforts from those in the farming community to rescue them before the flood waters rose too high or they froze or starved to death.
Cows being rescued by boat in Abbotsford / Brad Mueller
While there were many moments of sadness, the November floods also brought many together.
Hundreds of people were stranded directly in between mudslides for days, relying on others for basic food and supplies.
Empty shelves at the Esso gas station attached at Ricky’s Grill in Hope.(Stephanie Martin/Submitted)
Many people offered their own homes for strangers to stay at while they waited to be rescued.
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Several community organizations chartered planes to deliver supplies and help those who were stuck get home.
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Guru Nanak’s Free Kitchen (GNFK) was among the organizations that mobilized food for people in Hope who were stranded.
North Shore Rescue also used its longline skills to help people in flooded Abbotsford.
The volunteer team was just one of many rescue groups that put their skills to use throughout the flood-ravaged areas.
The province says the November floods serve as an important lesson about being prepared for the future.
“We must continue to adjust to the reality of climate change. That means better flood planning and mapping, and that work is underway through the BC Flood Strategy. That means more funding for communities to mitigate disaster risks through programs like the Green Infrastructure Adaptation, Resilience, and Disaster Mitigation program and the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund,” Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth said.
“It also means modernizing our emergency management legislation, which we’re co-developing with First Nations, Treaty Nations, and Métis leaders,” Farnworth said.
With files from Sar Anderson, Amir Ali, Megan Devlin, and Darcy Matheson
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