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UPDATE: Sumas, Wa., sounds flood siren, Nooksack River flowing over U.S. border into Abbotsford

100 millimetres of rain dumped on the region raised water levels at bottom of Sumas Lake by 3 inches
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Rail lines running parallel to the U.S. border are sandbagged in Abbotsford. Andy Holota / Black Press Media photo.

The City of Sumas has sounded their flood sirens. The Nooksack River has breached its banks in Everson and is flowing across Main Street and into Abbotsford.

The alarm was sounded at 3:13 p.m., and the city has warned there may be a short amount of time before all roads in and out of Sumas could close.

“After that point, it will be safer to shelter in place. Please make any necessary preparations now,” the city said.

Sumas Mayor John Perry said Main Street has closed, and their fields are full of surface water that have limited capacity.

Mayor Henry Braun said earlier at a press conference this afternoon, that once the water crosses Main Street, there is nothing to stop it from flowing into Abbotsford.

The Canadian Armed Forces have been sandbagging Huntingdon Village along the U.S. border to divert the flow of the water into the eastern side of the Sumas Prairie, which is already flooded.

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