US-Canada border towns assess damage from devastating floods

SUMAS, Wash. (AP) — People in the small city of Sumas, Washington, are assessing damage from flooding that hit an estimated three quarters of homes in the community near the Canadian border. Parts of Washington state and British Columbia are trying to dry out from an intense, days-long rain storm that cut off key roadways and forced hundreds of evacuations.

Skies were sunny Wednesday morning in the area.

Sumas’ mayor said officials were looking to go “door-to-door” to check on people and homes.

Immediately across the border residents of a low-lying area of Abbotsford, British Columbia, have been warned they face a significant risk to life and must get to avoid rising water levels.

The Canadian government sent more air force personnel to British Columbia on Wednesday to assist with evacuations and to support supply lines. Federal Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said they will also protect residents against further flooding or landslides.

Military helicopters already helped evacuate about 300 people from one highway where people were trapped in their cars overnight Monday following a mudslide. The body of a woman was recovered from one of the mudslides caused by extremely heavy rainfall and the mudslides have destroyed parts of several major highways.