B.C.’s Coquihalla and Key Highways Shut Down as Flooding Cuts Off the Lower Mainland
So, here’s what’s happening right now in British Columbia — and it’s a situation that has many people on edge. A powerful atmospheric river has swept across the province, bringing intense, unrelenting rainfall that has forced the shutdown of nearly all major highway routes linking the Lower Mainland to the Interior. That includes the Coquihalla Highway, one of the province’s most crucial transportation corridors, which has been completely closed between Hope and Merritt due to flooding and dangerous conditions.
Officials say the closures were put in place Wednesday night as the storm intensified, creating rapidly changing hazards like washouts, debris flows, falling rock, and even high avalanche risks. According to Emergency Management Minister Kelly Greene, access between the Lower Mainland and the Interior is “closed at this time,” and there’s currently no timeline for reopening. Drivers are being asked to stay off the roads entirely unless absolutely necessary, especially so evacuation routes stay clear for those who need to get out quickly.
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Multiple other major routes have also been shut down, including sections of Highway 1, Highway 3, Highway 5, Highway 7, Highway 11, and Highway 99. These closures have effectively cut off the region, mirroring what happened during the devastating 2021 floods — an event that caused billions in damage and is still deeply remembered across the province. And while conditions are bad now, officials are cautiously optimistic that the outcome may not reach the same catastrophic levels as 2021, thanks to improved planning and infrastructure upgrades.
In Abbotsford, the situation has escalated quickly. The city declared a local state of emergency late Wednesday, ordering more than 370 properties in Sumas Prairie West to evacuate. This is the same area that suffered some of the worst flooding four years ago, and officials aren’t taking any chances. Evacuation alerts have also been issued for surrounding communities, and residents are being urged to prepare grab-and-go bags and stay ready to move at a moment’s notice. A reception centre has been set up at the Abbotsford Recreation Centre for anyone displaced by the rising water.
A major concern is the Nooksack River across the U.S. border. It overflowed its banks Wednesday afternoon, sending water north toward the Fraser Valley — a near repeat of what happened in 2021. Early modelling suggests water will continue pushing toward the border into Thursday morning. Even though rain is easing in some areas, the volume of water coming through the watershed remains significant.
Emergency teams, local governments, First Nations, and even officials in Washington state are working around the clock to coordinate responses and keep communities safe. For now, the message remains consistent: stay off the roads, stay informed, and be prepared — because conditions are still changing fast.
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