North Vancouver begs people to be safe instead of stupid near flooded areas
Officials in North Vancouver are asking residents and visitors to use common sense around floodwaters and not put themselves in danger.
An atmospheric river slammed the Lower Mainland this weekend, bringing more than 250 millimetres of rain to some areas. Environment and Climate Change Canada said Vancouver and West Vancouver set daily rainfall records.
“Capturing that photo for social media is not worth the risk right now,” the District of North Vancouver said. “Crews are out working around the clock to respond to emergencies throughout the community.”
The District of North Vancouver declared a State of Local Emergency on Sunday and ordered residents of six Deep Cove properties to evacuate due to the flooding.
Due to the impacts of the extreme rainfall event and flooding on October 19 and the continued rainfall on October 20, the Mayor of the District of North Vancouver signed the state of local emergency order and mandatory evacuation this evening. 4/5
— District of North Vancouver (@NVanDistrict) October 21, 2024
Shocking video has emerged showing water surging down roads and flooding properties in Deep Cove.
@filmbyjg Devastating Deep Cove flooding. #deepcove #flood #atmosphericriver #vancouverflooding ♬ original sound – Freedom_Lover
@ravinder.bamra #deepcove ♬ Timeless – Franksille
Now, officials are urging residents not to put themselves in further danger.
Search and rescue teams already went out Sunday to save kayakers who capsized on the swollen Seymour River. The rescue required a boat and a drone to bring the paddlers to shore.
“Given the extreme and unpredictable conditions on our waterways, we urge the public to stay clear for their own safety,” North Vancouver RCMP said.
Yesterday, our officers and Search and Rescue (SAR) teams responded to a call about kayakers who had capsized on the Seymour River and required assistance. The RCMP and SAR boat, along with front-line officers using an RPAS (drone), successfully rescued the individuals. Given the… pic.twitter.com/PlSQhuEgUG
— North Vancouver RCMP (@nvanrcmp) October 21, 2024
Daily Hive has asked the force if it dealt with any other flood-related injuries this weekend and whether anyone is unaccounted for.
Popular mountain recreation sites closed over heavy rain
The District of North Vancouver is encouraging people to stay off hiking trails and away from forested areas. Steep slopes and waterways should also be no-go zones for now, the District said.
Some popular outdoor recreation spots have been closed to discourage people from using them. Parking lots at Fromme Mountain and Lynn Canyon are temporarily closed to visitors.
“For your safety, please stay away from Lynn Canyon Park, Hunter Park, and the Baden Powell trail to Quarry Rock,” noted the District.
Squamish Search and rescue teams aren’t even going onto rivers for their own scheduled training. Squamish Search and Rescue opted to practice rope skills instead of swift water rescue when the current got too strong this weekend.
“With the recent storm, our team witnessed river levels rise drastically within hours, shifting from manageable to extreme,” the Squamish SAR team said on social media.
View this post on Instagram
Skies are set to clear this week in the Lower Mainland, with less rain in the forecast.