A driver was killed when a tree fell onto two vehicles in Surrey, B.C., as a second major storm swept across British Columbia, leaving about 135,000 BC Hydro customers without power at its peak early Sunday morning on Nov. 8.
The driver of one of the vehicles was pronounced dead at the scene by responders, while the other driver was taken to hospital with minor injuries.
Environment Canada issued weather alerts for several locations on Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland warning that a “strong and potent series of storms” would continue to impact the province during the week.
The storms would bring significant rainfall, with upslope terrain and higher elevations most heavily impacted, the department said.
“This rainfall event comes on the heels of several low pressure systems that have moved through the region in recent days, already bringing substantial amounts of precipitation to parts of the coast,” the special weather statement said, adding that some areas would also experience “gusty southerly winds.”
Environment Canada cautioned that the heavy rain could lead to localized flooding, particularly in areas that have historically had lower drainage capacity.
“Take a moment to ensure that your storm drains are clear of leaves and debris,” it said.
In its latest update as of press time around 6:00 p.m. local time, BC Hydro listed nearly 25,500 customers still affected by outages, with the majority of those in the Central Interior (7,905 customers), followed by Northern B.C. (6,449) and Vancouver Island North (5,263).
Those seeking updates on flood warnings and advisories can check the B.C. River Forecast Centre’s website. As of press time, a high streamflow advisory issued at around 1 p.m. local time on Nov. 6 was in effect, saying a series of storms are forecast that would impact the B.C. coast through the weekend and into next week.
The first storm was already underway at the time, with 110 mm to 210 mm of rain observed since Nov. 5 on areas of west and north Vancouver Island. A second round of rainfall was expected over the weekend with eastern Vancouver Island, Howe Sound, Sea-to-Sky, North Shore Mountains, and the Pemberton Valley receiving the heaviest precipitation.
A third storm is expected to start later on Monday, Nov. 10, that may bring a more prolonged period of rainfall across the B.C. coast through the next week, the advisory said.
A high streamflow advisory, which is the lowest advisory level, means that river levels are rising or expected to rise rapidly but that no major flooding is expected. Minor flooding in low-lying areas is possible.
In a post to social media following the first storm on Nov. 7, premier-designate Lorne Doerkson expressed condolences to families in Zeballos, who had to evacuate from their homes due to the risk of flooding and landslides.
Doerkson also warned about the second incoming storm and told residents to “take the warnings seriously, stay away from fast-moving water and downed lines, and check on your neighbours.”
The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
