Evacuation orders rising quickly as BC braces for more flooding
Evacuation orders rising quickly as BC braces for more flooding
Officials say the third storm predicted to arrive on Tuesday and Wednesday may be the worst yet.
Evacuation orders rising quickly as BC braces for more flooding
- Thread starter B00Mer
- Start date
Officially it is thethere is an ongoing joke that it rains from january 1st to december 31st.
Vancouver Rain Festival
September 1st to August 30th.
But as you know not true . We have at least 3 straight days of sunshine in August .
'IT'S NOT OVER': Abbotsford farm owners brace for more flood losses
An estimated 640,000 animals have already died in the floods.
Author of the article:
Sarah Grochowski
Publishing date:
Dec 05, 2021 • 1 day ago • 3 minute read •
Join the conversation
Tony (left) and Jimi Meier, owners of U&D Meier Dairy farms, located near the Sumas Prairie Lake Bottom, pose for a selfie in the winter of 2020.
Tony (left) and Jimi Meier, owners of U&D Meier Dairy farms, located near the Sumas Prairie Lake Bottom, pose for a selfie in the winter of 2020. Photo by Jimi Meier /PNG
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While the rain has ceased and an evacuation order lifted, hundreds of Fraser Valley farm owners are still battling devastation caused by the floods that overflowed into the Sumas Prairie three weeks ago.
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Those who returned to their properties were welcomed by tragic sights, including “their personal belongings strewn everywhere including their trucks and machines full of water,” said farm owner Jimi Meier.
Meier, who’s co-owned U&D Dairy farm for 23 years with her husband Tony, has been defying an emergency evacuation order that’s forced hundreds of residents to leave their farm and livestock behind.
“I know it seems like saving your life before your animals’ is the right thing to do but the truth is that this farm — is our life, and our livelihood,” said the 50-year-old.
The 360-acre farm, located on the outskirts of the Lake Bottom area, had its fields and irrigation systems ruined by the floods. However, the Meiers’ barns, housed on a steep incline, were safe from the threat of overflow.
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“Had we left, we would have lost our 380 cows. They needed food and water.”
As it stands, an estimated 640,000 animals have already died in the floods.
One of the fields at U&D Meier Dairy farms, located near the Sumas Prairie Lake Bottom, covered in water on Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021.
One of the fields at U&D Meier Dairy farms, located near the Sumas Prairie Lake Bottom, covered in water on Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021. Photo by Jimi Meier /PNG
Abbotsford Mayor Henry Braun unveiled a four-stage plan to get Abbotsford residents back to their homes and farms on Friday.
Residents of 240 properties in the north area of the Sumas Prairie were cleared to return.
While Abbotsford is no longer facing the imminent threat of more flooding, residents of this area won’t be able to return home for weeks. The South, Central, and Lake Bottom areas are still under an evacuation order.
“The lake bottom — that’s a lake that’s four and a half kilometres across or diameter, and it’s five to six feet deep. At six or seven inches a day, we’re going to be there pumping for weeks yet,” Braun said.
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The mayor estimated recovery costs for the area will total nearly $2 billion.
“We know that for many of the residents, returning to their homes and farms will not be easy.”
Meier, her husband, and other farmers have been shipping in water and feed for livestock, which they’ve rationed, due to limited access to the rest of the province, because of road damage caused by floods.
“It’s not over. Us farmers are facing still struggles daily.” Meier said.
“We still do not have water. We’re on a flush-only order which makes it incredibly difficult to have enough for our animals to drink. We don’t know how long this is going to go on.”
The province’s highway infrastructure is also vulnerable after a series of storms battered the province last month.
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Transportation Minister Rob Fleming said Friday the province is in the planning stages of determining temporary measures to open the major artery between B.C.’s Lower Mainland and the Interior.
A section of Highway 99 in British Columbia reopened to essential travel Saturday after it was closed Wednesday for crews to clean up a landslide between Pemberton and Lillooet, in the same area where four people died last month.
Travel advisories were in place for Highway 1 between Abbotsford, Chilliwack and Hope and up the Fraser Canyon towards Boothroyd, where certain stretches were open to single-lane alternating traffic.
An advisory was also in place for Highway 3 between Hope and Princeton, which is open only to essential travel.
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Highway 5 and the Coquihalla, remained closed in both directions between Hope and Merritt as well as Highway 1 between Boothroyd, Lytton and Spences Bridge.
In addition, the province expanded emergency financial assistance for people affected by extensive flooding and landslides over the last three weeks.
Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said Friday B.C.’s disaster financial assistance program is available to help eligible people recover from the impacts of the destructive storms that occurred between Nov. 14 and Dec. 2.
The program’s eligibility has been expanded to homeowners, residential tenants, business owners, farm owners and charitable organizations in the northwest, southwest, central and southeast regions as well as Vancouver Island who were unable to obtain insurance to cover disaster-related losses.
It’s paid out for each approved claim at 80 per cent of the total amount of eligible damage that exceeds $1,000, to a maximum of $300,000.
With files from The Canadian Press
sarahgrochowski@postmedia.com
torontosun.com
An estimated 640,000 animals have already died in the floods.
Author of the article:
Sarah Grochowski
Publishing date:
Dec 05, 2021 • 1 day ago • 3 minute read •
Join the conversation
Tony (left) and Jimi Meier, owners of U&D Meier Dairy farms, located near the Sumas Prairie Lake Bottom, pose for a selfie in the winter of 2020.
Tony (left) and Jimi Meier, owners of U&D Meier Dairy farms, located near the Sumas Prairie Lake Bottom, pose for a selfie in the winter of 2020. Photo by Jimi Meier /PNG
Article content
While the rain has ceased and an evacuation order lifted, hundreds of Fraser Valley farm owners are still battling devastation caused by the floods that overflowed into the Sumas Prairie three weeks ago.
Advertisement
Story continues below
Sponsored
New Lung Cleaning Device Is Going Viral
By Smart Lifestyle Trends
A lifesaver for people with lung conditions, this gadget tackles your mucus buildup to clean your lungs.
See More
Article content
Those who returned to their properties were welcomed by tragic sights, including “their personal belongings strewn everywhere including their trucks and machines full of water,” said farm owner Jimi Meier.
Meier, who’s co-owned U&D Dairy farm for 23 years with her husband Tony, has been defying an emergency evacuation order that’s forced hundreds of residents to leave their farm and livestock behind.
“I know it seems like saving your life before your animals’ is the right thing to do but the truth is that this farm — is our life, and our livelihood,” said the 50-year-old.
The 360-acre farm, located on the outskirts of the Lake Bottom area, had its fields and irrigation systems ruined by the floods. However, the Meiers’ barns, housed on a steep incline, were safe from the threat of overflow.
Advertisement
Story continues below
Article content
“Had we left, we would have lost our 380 cows. They needed food and water.”
As it stands, an estimated 640,000 animals have already died in the floods.
One of the fields at U&D Meier Dairy farms, located near the Sumas Prairie Lake Bottom, covered in water on Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021.
One of the fields at U&D Meier Dairy farms, located near the Sumas Prairie Lake Bottom, covered in water on Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021. Photo by Jimi Meier /PNG
Abbotsford Mayor Henry Braun unveiled a four-stage plan to get Abbotsford residents back to their homes and farms on Friday.
Residents of 240 properties in the north area of the Sumas Prairie were cleared to return.
While Abbotsford is no longer facing the imminent threat of more flooding, residents of this area won’t be able to return home for weeks. The South, Central, and Lake Bottom areas are still under an evacuation order.
“The lake bottom — that’s a lake that’s four and a half kilometres across or diameter, and it’s five to six feet deep. At six or seven inches a day, we’re going to be there pumping for weeks yet,” Braun said.
Advertisement
Story continues below
Article content
The mayor estimated recovery costs for the area will total nearly $2 billion.
“We know that for many of the residents, returning to their homes and farms will not be easy.”
Meier, her husband, and other farmers have been shipping in water and feed for livestock, which they’ve rationed, due to limited access to the rest of the province, because of road damage caused by floods.
“It’s not over. Us farmers are facing still struggles daily.” Meier said.
“We still do not have water. We’re on a flush-only order which makes it incredibly difficult to have enough for our animals to drink. We don’t know how long this is going to go on.”
The province’s highway infrastructure is also vulnerable after a series of storms battered the province last month.
Advertisement
Story continues below
Article content
Transportation Minister Rob Fleming said Friday the province is in the planning stages of determining temporary measures to open the major artery between B.C.’s Lower Mainland and the Interior.
A section of Highway 99 in British Columbia reopened to essential travel Saturday after it was closed Wednesday for crews to clean up a landslide between Pemberton and Lillooet, in the same area where four people died last month.
Travel advisories were in place for Highway 1 between Abbotsford, Chilliwack and Hope and up the Fraser Canyon towards Boothroyd, where certain stretches were open to single-lane alternating traffic.
An advisory was also in place for Highway 3 between Hope and Princeton, which is open only to essential travel.
Advertisement
Story continues below
Article content
Highway 5 and the Coquihalla, remained closed in both directions between Hope and Merritt as well as Highway 1 between Boothroyd, Lytton and Spences Bridge.
In addition, the province expanded emergency financial assistance for people affected by extensive flooding and landslides over the last three weeks.
Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said Friday B.C.’s disaster financial assistance program is available to help eligible people recover from the impacts of the destructive storms that occurred between Nov. 14 and Dec. 2.
The program’s eligibility has been expanded to homeowners, residential tenants, business owners, farm owners and charitable organizations in the northwest, southwest, central and southeast regions as well as Vancouver Island who were unable to obtain insurance to cover disaster-related losses.
It’s paid out for each approved claim at 80 per cent of the total amount of eligible damage that exceeds $1,000, to a maximum of $300,000.
With files from The Canadian Press
sarahgrochowski@postmedia.com
'It's not over': Abbotsford farm owners brace for more flood losses
While the rain has ceased with an evacuation order lifted, hundreds of Abbotsford farm owners are still battling devastation caused by the floods.