Delta has opened its emergency operations centre in response to increasing flood risk in the Fraser Valley.
There is no imminent flood risk in Delta, but the centre has been set up to address any escalation in the situation.
The opening of the operations centre is part of Stage-2 in Delta’s flood plan, which also includes daily dyke inspections.
RELATED: Delta might see foreshore flooding in May
This stage of the plan comes at the water level gauge in Mission has risen a metre in one week, going from 4.8 metres on May 10 to just over 5.8 metres on May 17. However, the level of the water is less significant for Delta than the velocity, which is now reaching just over 11,400 cubic metres per second.
The amount of water rushing into the ocean, and its accompanying debris pose the biggest risk to Delta’s dykes, and were a significant factor in the damage caused by the historic 1948 flood.
So far, evacuation orders and alerts have been issued in a number of places along the Fraser River, including Chilliwack and Langley.
RELATED: Metro Van issues evacuation alert for Barnston Island
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