Relentless rain causing flooding and road closures across B.C.

Rain continues to batter British Columbia on Monday, as officials keep a wary eye on rising rivers and road closures.

Rainfall warnings remain in effect across southern B.C., with Environment Canada expecting up to another 50 millimetres for areas that have experienced relentless rain since Saturday.

Mudslides and localized flooding have caused more than 100 homes in Abbotsford, B.C., to be placed on evacuation alerts, while in Merritt, residents living in the 200-year flood plain of the Coldwater River, south of Nicola Avenue, have been ordered to evacuate.

In a brief announcement on its website, the City of Merritt said the municipal wastewater treatment plant had failed and warned all residents against using water in their homes, including flushing toilets and running taps.

An evacuation order has also been issued by the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen for 34 properties as the Tulameen River continues to rise dangerously high.

Both Tulameen and Merritt are under flood warnings, as is the area around the Coldwater River near Brookmere. 

A flood watch means residents should be on alert for rising river levels, while a flood warning means river water has breached culverts and flooding will result.

The entire Fraser Valley region was placed on flood watch earlier Sunday, including areas around Hope. Rivers through the region, including the Coquihalla and Chilliwack rivers, are expected to remain high through Monday morning, with improvements expected in the afternoon as rainfall eases.

An evacuation order has also been issued for four properties in Electoral Area E in the Chilliwack River Valley. 

Tyler Hamilton, meteorologist with The Weather Network, told CBC Monday an atmospheric river-fuelled storm from the Pacific has "really dug deep into the Fraser Valley."

He expects Hope will have been hit with more than 300 millimetres of rain by Monday afternoon. The community usually gets about 250 millimetres a month at this time of year.

"It's no wonder we are seeing rock slides, mudslides  — the small creeks and tributaries that feed into the mighty Fraser River are just simply overwhelmed," said Hamilton.

As of Monday morning, there are numerous closures and delays on B.C. highways. They include:

Officials believe there are approximately 50 vehicles trapped on Highway 7 between Maple Ridge and Hope, with approximately two to three people in each vehicle.