BARRIE — British Columbia Premier John Horgan has declared a provincial state of emergency due to flooding that has displaced people from their homes and disrupted transportation routes. During the announcement Wednesday, the premier also asked residents not to hoard groceries as shelves are already running bare.
Minister of Public Safety Mike Farnworth asked the public not to travel unless it’s essential as efforts are underway to get infrastructure and highways back up. Horgan said more fatalities are expected due to mudslides and flooding. Agriculture Minister Lana Popham said “thousands of animals have perished” as a result of the floods.
On Tuesday, officials in the city of Abbotsford issued an urgent plea to anyone in the Sumas Prairie to evacuate immediately, as flood waters threatened the Barrowtown Pump Station. Officials said conditions in the Sumas Prairie area have “escalated” and pose a “significant risk to life due to the imminent failure” of the pump station.
The notice said if the pump fails, all the water within the Sumas Prairie will not be able to be pumped out and water from the Fraser River will begin entering.
“This event is anticipated to be catastrophic,” the order read. Speaking at a press conference Wednesday, Abbotsford Mayor Henry Braun, said overnight 184 people were evacuated from the area, adding that those efforts are ongoing.He said aerial assessments of the area are also underway…Source: ctvnews.ca
Wednesday, April 29, 2026
