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MILITARY RESPONSE | B.C. Flooding

Troops dispatched to B.C., where are they heading?


Tyler Hamilton
Meteorologist

Saturday, May 19, 2018, 1:49 PM - The request for military assistance has been approved by the Federal Government, after floods have ravaged parts of southern British Columbia. Grand Forks has been the hardest hit, with rapid snowmelt and scorching temperatures creating a disastrous flooding event.

MILITARY FLOOD SUPPORT

  • Provide assistance with evacuations
  • Help protect key assets from flooding
  • Improve sandbagging efforts

The Honourable Ralph Goodale, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, made this statement on Thursday: 

"I have spoken with Minister Mike Farnworth, regarding the flooding situation in British Columbia. On behalf of the Government of Canada, I have accepted his formal request for federal assistance to help communities affected by flooding. I strongly encourage affected residents to follow the directions and advice of law enforcement and first responders. On behalf of all Canadians, I would like to thank all of the first responders and volunteers working hard to keep everyone safe."




FLOW RATE FORECAST: GRAND FORKS

What's next for Grand Forks? Is the next surge of water to be as catastrophic as the last? Luckily, the River Forecast Centre  has released their latest flow projections for the region: 


The latest indications suggest the region won't be dealing with quite the same flow rates (500 m³/s+) as what was observed on May 12th, but another spike is in the forecast for this weekend, courtesy of pop-up thunderstorms expected as a pesky upper trough drifts over southern British Columbia. Peak flows are expected this weekend, dropping again slightly into next week. On Thursday and Friday, flow rates were hovering in the 10-20 year return period, indicating significantly elevated water levels for the region. This weekend's spike is expected to take the region back into 100 year return period territory.

WATCH TWO WEEKS OF SNOWMELT IN SECONDS:



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