Post by ferryfast admin on Feb 5, 2006 0:52:53 GMT -5
B.C. coastal towns brace for more floods after violent windstorm
Last Updated Sat, 04 Feb 2006 23:42:52 EST
CBC News
Coastal communities in southwestern B.C. went on the alert on the weekend, bracing for more floods after a windstorm knocked out power to more than 50,000 people and helped send sea water pouring into homes.
B.C. Hydro said winds of up to 110 km/h on Saturday morning cut power to as many as 50,000 customers in the province. The storm also disrupted ferry service to Vancouver Island.
High tides combined with heavy winds send sea water flooding through Tsawwassen, B.C.
Some of the worst damage was in the beachside community of Tsawwassen, in Delta south of Vancouver, where the winds combined with an extremely high tide of five metres and caused a breach in a small breakwater.
As much as a metre of water flooded into some basements and garages, spurring officials to declare a state of emergency and order the evacuation of about 200 homes.
By nightfall, the water had receded and many residents had returned home to join fire crews at pumps in a bid to drain the water and clean up. But they remained on alert as officials warned of more high tides ahead
Rod Vanageren said he woke up Saturday morning to find waves sweeping into his yard.
"I came out of my house and I noticed from across the street here that water was starting to come through from the seawall," he said.
"Just the waves were hitting the seawall and coming right over. ...It just took about half an hour before it was knee-deep."
Delta Mayor Lois Jackson said it was the worst storm the region had seen in decades.
The storm also wreaked havoc in the state of Washington, knocking out power to at least 160,000 customers.
Last Updated Sat, 04 Feb 2006 23:42:52 EST
CBC News
Coastal communities in southwestern B.C. went on the alert on the weekend, bracing for more floods after a windstorm knocked out power to more than 50,000 people and helped send sea water pouring into homes.
B.C. Hydro said winds of up to 110 km/h on Saturday morning cut power to as many as 50,000 customers in the province. The storm also disrupted ferry service to Vancouver Island.
High tides combined with heavy winds send sea water flooding through Tsawwassen, B.C.
Some of the worst damage was in the beachside community of Tsawwassen, in Delta south of Vancouver, where the winds combined with an extremely high tide of five metres and caused a breach in a small breakwater.
As much as a metre of water flooded into some basements and garages, spurring officials to declare a state of emergency and order the evacuation of about 200 homes.
By nightfall, the water had receded and many residents had returned home to join fire crews at pumps in a bid to drain the water and clean up. But they remained on alert as officials warned of more high tides ahead
Rod Vanageren said he woke up Saturday morning to find waves sweeping into his yard.
"I came out of my house and I noticed from across the street here that water was starting to come through from the seawall," he said.
"Just the waves were hitting the seawall and coming right over. ...It just took about half an hour before it was knee-deep."
Delta Mayor Lois Jackson said it was the worst storm the region had seen in decades.
The storm also wreaked havoc in the state of Washington, knocking out power to at least 160,000 customers.