RCAF supports relief efforts following British Columbia floods

The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) has been delivering aid to flood-hit communities in British Columbia (BC).

The RCAF personnel arrived in BC on Friday 19 November and have been providing support for residents of the province, primarily in the Lower Mainland region.

Support included being deployment of supplies such as water, canned goods, and pet food to stranded residents in the province. RCAF CH-146 Griffon helicopters have also conducted reconnaissance flights in the region in support of the relief efforts.

According to a statement by Canadian Minister of National Defense Anita Anand on 21 November, over military personnel have been deployed in the province as part of the effort, including at least 12 aircraft.

The storm has cut off many communities in British Columbia

BC experienced a major storm which began on Saturday 13 November, which delivered the equivalent of a month’s rain in just two days, prompting the western province to declare a state of emergency on 17 November.

The storm flooded much of southern BC and caused landslips which blocked many major roads and railways, blocking access to many communities and limiting access to the province from the rest of Canada.

Approximately 20,000 people were forced to leave their homes following the crisis, with around 14,000 people still under evacuation orders as of Saturday evening. At least four people have been killed as a result of the floods, and one person is still missing.

Cleanup and repairs following the disaster are expected to take months, and infrastructure repairs alone could cost more than C$1 billion alone according to Bruce Banman, Provincial Assembly Member representing Abbotsford South.