As heavy rainfall drenched the province over the weekend, flooding, mudslides and rock debris have caused multiple highway closures.

Here is a list of current highway closures:

  • Hwy 1 between Hope and Lytton
  • Hwy 1 between Lytton and Spences Bridge
  • Hwy 3 between Hope and Manning Park
  • Hwy 3 between Princeton and Keremeos
  • Hwy 3 near Fernie
  • Hwy 5 between Hope and Merritt
  • Hwy 7 on both sides of Agassiz
  • Hwy 7 between Maple Ridge and Mission
  • Hwy 11 between Mission and Abbotsford
  • Hwy 93 between Radium Hot Springs and the BC-Alberta border
  • Hwy 99 between Pemberton and Lillooet

Environment Canada has issued a flood watch for the entire Fraser Valley region which includes roads around Hope, B.C., and Princeton, B.C. The Similkameen River, Tulameen River, and Coldwater River have active flood warnings currently in place.

The water levels rose rapidly today. The River Forecast Centre is monitoring conditions and will be providing updates. The public is advised to stay clear of rivers during this time.

“A significant atmospheric river has made landfall across southern coastal regions of British Columbia,” wrote the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development in a recent update. “Observed rainfall amounts since yesterday have been in the 50-185mm range across the Coquihalla, upper Coldwater and Tulameen River watersheds.”

Serious flooding and landslides on the Coquihalla Highway near the Great Bear Snowshed have also caused it to be closed. Parts of the concrete sections of the highway were ripped from the flooding. DriveBC said Highway 5 is closed between Hope and Merritt.

Highway 3 is also shut down in both directions east of Hope due to a mudslide. DriveBC stated there is flooding between Taylor Mill Rd and Old Hedley Rd for 27.9 km (2 km east of Princeton to 6 km west of Hedley).

DriveBC warned people that driving conditions are changing constantly at the moment. Crews are working and responding to make roads as safe as possible, but people should check the latest updates and avoid unnecessary travel if possible.