The North Shore has become overwhelmed with rain and floodwater as an atmospheric river continues across coastal B.C.
Videos posted to social media show Deep Cove and other parts of North Vancouver with flooded streets, homes, and businesses.
District of North Vancouver Mayor Mike Little tells 1130 NewsRadio that crews worked in advance to clear storm drains, but the amount of rainfall exceeded predictions.
“There’s no question, low-lying areas — areas closest to creeks — have been struggling to keep up,” said Little.
Some roads closed, Little says, while the district managed floodwater in Deep Cove. He says construction equipment was required to clear a North Vancouver catch basin after woody debris caused it to overflow.
“And so as soon as we were able to get the backhoe in position to clean that out, we obviously saw the performance improve, but there’s no question a number of businesses were affected by that at the time,” said Little.
He says parents near Cove Cliff Elementary reported that the school had also become “inundated with water,” though the school district hasn’t confirmed the extent of the damage.
1130 NewsRadio’s Mike Lloyd was on location in Deep Cove Saturday evening, reporting torrents of water, rapids down the main street, debris, and even bike-share e-bikes flowing past.
Lloyd says an emergency reception centre has been set up at the Mickey McDougall Community Recreation Centre in North Vancouver for anyone displaced by the storm.
In West Vancouver, police say MacDonald and Marr creeks continue to “run high and fast.” Low-lying areas along Bellevue Avenue and Marine Drive are reportedly experiencing pooling water.
The West Vancouver Police Department is asking residents to avoid flooded areas to allow crews to work.
Gordon Howard of West Vancouver Fire and Rescue says his crews are seeing serious flooding in many areas and working to dam and redirect water to minimize damage.
“Given the volume of water, it was very challenging to redirect all the water, so certainly some homes have had significant water damage, and businesses as well,” said Howard.
He says no injuries related to flooding have been reported yet, but the floodwater is “extremely hazardous.”
“If there’s any depth to the standing water, there could be hidden hazards, and people should avoid that and wait for the water to dissipate,” said Howard.
“Pay attention to any direction of crews: if we’ve got barricades or a line closing an area, it’s for public safety; please obey the instruction on the sign and stay out of those areas.”
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) says the weather event is expected to break several rainfall records.
Several parts of the Lower Mainland are seeing flooding and deep water flowing through the streets.
ECCC says the heaviest rain is expected to taper off between 8 and 10 p.m. tonight. However, the downpour is expected to continue overnight and through Sunday.