Floodwaters receding after stranding more than 18,000 in British Columbia

Floodwaters were beginning to recede in Canada on Thursday as 18,000 people in British Columbia have been stranded due to flooding and mudslides.

Multiple towns and cities have been trapped for days as roads, bridges and houses were destroyed, Reuters reported. 

Authorities have used helicopters to send food to those trapped without power. One person has been confirmed dead from the storm, but more are expected as waters continue to recede and search and rescue efforts can pick up. 

Abbotsford Mayor Henry Braun almost had to issue an evacuation order for 160,000 people, but was able to avoid the emergency declaration since the city’s pumping station was able to contain the water. 

“We continue to move toward the recovery phase of this emergency,” he said Thursday, according to Reuters. 

Heavy rains are still predicted to occur in the upcoming weeks, as towns and cities begin the costly recovery from the natural disaster.

The total cost of the flooding has not been determined, but is likely to be more than $3 billion, according to Reuters. 

The rain also cut off one of the largest ports in the country, exacerbating already difficult global supply chain issues.