Pemberton under evacuation orders as flooding closes Highway 99 and roads

Evacuation orders have been issued for properties between 1674 and 2000 Airport Road in Pemberton, replacing existing alerts for those addresses. If you live on those stretches, you must leave now, and the order was issued Wednesday afternoon citing "immediate danger to life safety" from flooding.

Highway 99 is closed between Rancheree Road and Stager Lane, according to DriveBC, whose last update was 10:33 a.m. on Nov. 12. The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District says several roads in the Pemberton Valley are impassable, including parts of Pemberton Meadows Road and Highway 99. Residents are asked to avoid non-essential travel and be ready to leave on short notice.

EmergencyInfoBC is urging residents not to walk or drive through floodwater. "If water blocks your route, do not attempt to cross it. Move to a safe location on higher ground if you can do so safely and call for assistance," the agency said.

The River Forecast Centre has warned that heavy rain and high streamflow bring increased risk of unstable banks, river erosion, submerged roads, swift water hazards, flooding and landslides. Flood warnings were issued Wednesday morning for the Pemberton Valley, Howe Sound, Sea to Sky and the North Shore.

Elsewhere, the Lilʼwat Nation has expanded its evacuation order and alert from Kwetsa7 along the Lillooet River corridor to Lillooet Lake. A shelter-in-place advisory is in effect for residents near Squamish. The District of Squamish says BC Hydro has advised that flooding is expected from rising discharge at Daisy Lake, and residents in the Sunwolf Lodge and Cheekye Ranch areas are told to stay inside if able.

Environment Canada has reported rainfall over 100 mm in the past 48 hours at several locations, including 306 mm at Port Mellon on Howe Sound and 248 mm at Kennedy Lake.