BELLA COOLA, B.C. — More than 200-millimetres of rain has deluged a valley on B.C.’s Central Coast causing damage that could take weeks or months to repair.
The Central Coast Regional District says evacuation orders are in effect for most of the Bella Coola Valley, 400 kilometres west of Williams Lake.
Much of the region was submerged by flooding after torrential downpours on Friday and Saturday.
No one has been reported injured but officials say there is major damage, especially to roads, and the valley could be cut off for weeks — or longer.
Highway 20, the only route into Bella Coola, has been washed out in at least four places west of Anahim Lake, while water from a failed dike has submerged the runway of the Bella Coola airport.
The Regional District says evacuation orders are in effect for many small communities where flooding has occurred, but residents who are not in immediate danger should stay put until waters recede sometime Tuesday.