North Vancouver declares state of local emergency, 3 homes evacuated after heavy rain

NORTH VANCOUVER, B.C. — The District of North Vancouver has declared a state of local emergency and ordered three homes evacuated in the Deep Cove neighbourhood over concerns debris left behind from last weekend’s atmospheric river could pose a safety risk.

A statement late Saturday from the district says that during the heavy rain, debris filled the channels of Ostler and Panorama Creeks “limiting their capacity to withstand future heavy rainfall events.”

The district says it’s ordering the evacuations out of an abundance of caution after geotechnical consultants advised that the extent of debris could pose a “life safety risk” to adjacent properties.

The District of North Vancouver was hit with 350 millimetres of rain last weekend and six properties were initially ordered evacuated, but those orders were lifted on Friday.

The weather system drenched B.C.’s south coast, triggering a mudslide and localized flooding that killed at least three people.

The district says the decision to declare a state of local emergency and a mandatory evacuation order is not taken lightly, and that residents of those properties are eligible to receive emergency support services.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 27, 2024.