Merritt, British Columbia evacuated amid massive storm

The city of Merritt in the Canadian province of British Columbia was placed under an evacuation order on Monday due to rapid flooding. Flood waters "inundated" bridges and rendered the water treatment plant "inoperable" when the Coldwater River overflowed its banks amid a massive storm impacting much of lower British Columbia.

Residents of Merritt have been advised to head to either Kamloops or Kelowna if they have connections in either city. Those without connections to either community have been asked to go to Kamloops if their address is even numbered or Kelowna if they are in odd numbered houses. Returning to the city was prohibited as of 4:00pm local time.

All major routes heading east of Kelowna have been closed due to flooding and landslides. Those on Vancouver Island have also been impacted, with the cities of Duncan and Victoria being cut off from each other and the rest of the island by flooding. The Cowichan Valley Regional District has issued a local state of emergency and some residences in Duncan have been evacuated in light of the flooding.

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