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B.C. deluge could bring 250 mm of rain as forecasters predict flooding, landslides
Forecasters say the storm could trigger localized flooding and landslides as rivers rise rapidly and some roads become impassable.
Environment Canada issued orange rainfall warnings on Tuesday for Vancouver Island and the South Coast, forecasting up to 250 millimetres of rain and wind gusts reaching 110 km/h through Wednesday.
Meteorologist Michael Gismondi attributed the heavy precipitation to atmospheric rivers, calling the drenching "fairly typical for this time of year." Warm temperatures through Wednesday may trigger additional snowmelt runoff from higher terrain.
Nearly 2,000 customers across Vancouver Island remain without power following severe overnight weather. The River Forecast Centre warned of peak flows through Wednesday, with localized flooding likely to make some roads impassable.
The severe weather follows a deadly weekend that claimed a driver killed by a falling tree in Surrey and a pedestrian struck in Vancouver. A canoeist remains missing off northern Vancouver Island after disappearing Friday.
Rainfall is expected to ease Wednesday before another system arrives Friday, potentially "re-intensifying" the precipitation. This incoming storm complicates recovery efforts as the region faces continued vulnerability to flooding and infrastructure damage.