An atmospheric river has wreaked havoc on the Fraser Valley, with heavy rains leading to numerous evacuation orders and highway closures.While the weather is set to improve Thursday, high amounts of precipitation are expected for the weekend through into next week..As of 8 a.m. Thursday morning, the following closures are in effect:Highway 1 eastbound closed between Highway 9 and HopeHighway 1 "high flood warning in effect" between Hope and LyttonHighway 3 closed between Hope and PrincetonHighway 5 closed between Hope and MerrittHighway 7 alternating one-way west of Hope (between Highway 9 and Ross Road)Highway 11 at the Sumas border crossing is closed to all traffic.Evacuation orders have been issued for a number of areas in Abbotsford and Electoral E, just southeast of Chilliwack..Residents living in the Wilson Rd. area of Electoral Area E were asked to leave immediately, while those in surrounding areas are under evacuation alert..Abbotsford declared a state of local emergency and issued evacuation orders for 371 properties in Sumas Prairie West "due to risk of flooding.""Residents in the affected area must leave immediately," the Abbotsford Police Department wrote in a post on X. "Evacuation Alerts have also been issued for Sumas Prairie East and remain in place for the rest of Sumas Prairie West and Clayburn Village.".Heavy rains are also causing problems elsewhere in the province. .In Princeton, for example, evacuation alerts have been issued for parts of downtown, as well as section of Corina Avenue and Allison Flats.More to come...
