Top Class Actions’s website and social media posts use affiliate links. If you make a purchase using such links, we may receive a commission, but it will not result in any additional charges to you. Please review our Affiliate Link Disclosure for more information.
Sumas Prairie Flooding Class Action Lawsuit Overview:
- Who: Residents of Sumas Prairie suffered property damage and other losses due to the catastrophic November floods.
- Why: The plaintiffs filed a class action lawsuit alleging the City of Abbotsford, the Fraser Valley Regional District, and the provincial government knew of the flood risk yet failed to warn residents in time for them to take appropriate action.
- Where: The class action lawsuit was filed on behalf of residents of Abbotsford’s Sumas Prairie.
Residents of Sumas Prairie have filed a class action lawsuit against the City of Abbotsford, the Fraser Valley Regional District and the provincial government, claiming they were “grossly negligent” when they failed to warn residents in a timely manner about the flood risks.
On Nov. 14, Sumas Prairie began flooding due to severe rainfall that occurred after the Nooksack River overflowed its banks in Washington state and flowed northeast into Abbotsford.
The Sumas Dike, which holds back flood water in the area, suffered breaches that allowed the flood water to impact farmland. Approximately 1,100 properties were affected by the flood.
The first evacuation order for Sumas Prairie was issued at 11 p.m. on Nov. 14, according to the Sumas Prairie flooding class action lawsuit. This evacuation notice allegedly only applied to the area that was not protected by the Sumas Dike. A separate evacuation order for the area protected by the Sumas Dike was allegedly issued at 5 a.m. on Nov. 16.
“Residents of the Sumas Prairie, who had not been adequately notified of the impending disaster, watched helplessly as ravenous floodwaters tore through their land, burying their personal property and destroying their crops and farmland,” the Sumas Prairie class action lawsuit states.
Sumas Prairie Class Action: Defendants Failed to Adequately Warn Residents of Flood Risk
Plaintiffs Caroline Mostertman and Ten Dykman filed the Sumas Prairie class action lawsuit on behalf of themselves and a proposed class of other property owners and others with an interest in land on Sumas Prairie.
They claim that the defendants failed to issue proper warnings and other emergency measures even after they knew or should have known that Sumas Prairie was at risk of severe flooding.
Had the defendants provided Sumas Prairie residents with adequate warning, they could have taken measures to mitigate their losses, such as by moving animals and equipment to higher ground, the Sumas Prairie class action lawsuit alleges.
The Sumas Prairie class action lawsuit alleges the defendants knew about the history of flooding in the region and that the Sumas Dike might not be able to withstand significant flooding.
The plaintiffs point to three major floods since the 1890s that significantly affected the area and caused disruption and destruction and which should have put the defendants on notice that Sumas Prairie was vulnerable to dangerous flooding.
They also note that a July 2015 government report issued the Sumas Dike the lowest grade possible, found that it was at least two feet lower than appropriate and declared it “unacceptable.”
The plaintiffs allege there were plans to fix the diking system in the area but they had not yet been implemented at the time of the flood.
Were you affected by the November flooding in Sumas Prairie? Tell us about your experience in the comments section!
Don’t Miss Out!
Check out our list of Class Action Lawsuits and Class Action Settlements you may qualify to join!
Read About More Class Action Lawsuits & Class Action Settlements:
- Native Friendship Centre Claims More Relief Needed For Indigenous People Who Faced Alleged Abuse From Sûreté du Québec Officers
- Compensation Claims On Horizon For Day Scholars Who Suffered Abuse At Canadian Residential Facilities
- Patients Sue After Surgical Staples Fall Out, Lead to Life-Threatening Complications
- BC Women’s Hospital Faces Class Action Lawsuit Over ‘Imposter’ Nurse
