Rains ease but fears of flooding, washouts, remain in southern B.C.

VANCOUVER – Local states of emergency remain in effect in areas of southeastern B.C., but heavy rains responsible for flooding and washouts are beginning to ease in the region.

The latest declaration of local emergency was issued by the Regional District of East Kootenay just before 11 p.m. Thursday night as the Elk River rose rapidly, threatening a number of homes in the Elk Valley.

Local states of emergency were declared as a precaution in Fairmont and Fairmont Hot Springs earlier Thursday because of high levels of Fairmont and Cold Springs Creek.

A campground and several nearby properties were ordered evacuated outside Windermere and evacuation alerts are in effect for low lying properties in a small area south of Sparwood, and for a handful of homes along the Elk River south of Fernie.

But Environment Canada has now lifted all rainfall warnings across B.C., although it notes 106 millimetres of rain drenched Sparwood over the last 24 hours, with Nelson, Creston and Cranbrook all receiving between 70 and 77 millimetres.

Highway 1 remains closed east of Golden because of numerous washouts in Alberta, while highways 31A and 93 in southeastern B.C. are also severed by washouts and slides and washouts have reduced Highway 3 outside Sparwood and Highway 31 north of Kaslo to single lane alternating traffic.