Evacuation order lifted after Western flash floods
Digital Reporter
Wednesday, July 1, 2015, 7:42 AM - Canada Day was arked by post-flood cleanup efforts in two Western cities.
Both Calgary and Kamloops, B.C., were struck by major thunderstorms Tuesday night, causing flash flooding that prompted at least one evacuation order.
Many were forced to leave their trailer park homes amid floodwaters as much as a metre deep. The evacuation order for around 100 people in Kamloops, was lifted by 6 p.m. local time Wednesday.
#Bcstorm #Kamloops. Oakdale trailer park pic.twitter.com/Oxd9gvZ0Sk
— Jamie Rye (@tayho1977) July 1, 2015
"I have heard from some people that they’ve got water right in their living rooms, rivers running through their trailers is what they’ve told me," CHNL reporter Michael McDonald, who lives in the park, told the Canadian Press.
Fire officials told The Canadian Press the flooding may have been due to a debris dam clearing suddenly above a road in the area, although Kamloops' utilities manager said it was a blocked outfall.
Storms struck the B.C. interior in the mid afternoon, bringing torrential rains and winds strong enough to topple some trees in several communities.
@CFJC_News @KamThisWeek @CTVVancouver @cbcnewsbc @weathernetwork #bcstorm #flashflood #kamloops pic.twitter.com/KLZN3kLaBQ
— April Wainwright (@the2ws) July 1, 2015
#BCstorm #Kamloops pic.twitter.com/k6Eal9pTxq
— Jamie Rye (@tayho1977) July 1, 2015
Just a bit of a wind storm. #kamloops #bcstorm #golf @SuperProblems pic.twitter.com/RjOTaAx5x5
— Travis Olson (@TravisAOlson) July 1, 2015
#BCstorm #Kamloops pic.twitter.com/k0GQpcpq6F
— Jamie Rye (@tayho1977) July 1, 2015
4th Ave near 27th St in Castlegar will take time. Multiple scenes like this with no crews as yet. #BCstorm pic.twitter.com/wxSthFo8zl
— Marvin Beatty (@marvinbeatty) June 30, 2015
No injuries have been reported. Around 2,800 B.C. Hydro customers were without power due to the storm, though most outages have been restored.
On the other side of the mountains, the city of Calgary was grappling with its own flood woes.
Flooding disrupts CTrain service, storm knocks out power on Tuesday https://t.co/JjO42zFQBU pic.twitter.com/98iH25Y11C
— Calgary AB (@CalgaRRyAB) July 1, 2015
Flash flooding causes problems near Chinook Mall https://t.co/e7duHCRUhV pic.twitter.com/ljJnMvDIbd
— CBC Calgary (@CBCCalgary) June 30, 2015
Macleod Tr and Heritage Dr! #yyc #calgary #quantumhomegroup #qhg #flood #rain https://t.co/d3CZR4BQvr pic.twitter.com/QPXnCfIUc5
— Quantum Home Group (@QuantumHG) June 30, 2015
Heavy downpours caused flooding that tied up afternoon traffic in the south of the city.
Rail commuters were similarly out of luck, as the water over the track closed Chinook station in the southeast of the city. Shuttle buses were deployed, and although service resumed a little after 5 p.m., Global News reports speed was reduced, and there were significant delays.
#yyc #glenmore avoid glenmore going west towards shag, its a parking lot in all lanes (for over 20 mins now) pic.twitter.com/f9mw3EjZ3y
— Heather (@Massarah) June 30, 2015
MacLeod Tr S after Glenmore. Lots of flooding. #yyc #weather @660NewsTraffic pic.twitter.com/qG8CIxAOAV
— Zoodles (@zoodles23) June 30, 2015
SOURCES: The Province | Global News