Shuswap

The emergency operations centre in the British Columbia community of Fernie has been activated as heavy rain pounds the area and a flood warning has been posted for the nearby Elk River.

The first wave of 300 Canadian military personnel is being sent to British Columbia to help communities overwhelmed by floodwaters as parts of the province are expected to be hit with heavy rain following snowmelt from unseasonably warm weather.

Unseasonable heat and the potential for rain over the next seven to 10 days could force thousands of people in British Columbia's Interior to evacuate their homes as rivers and lakes continue to swell and burst from the melting snowpack, officials said on Monday, May 14, 2018.