‘It breaks my heart to see what’s going on’: Thousands evacuated as heavy rain hits parts of US and Canada
One person is dead, several people are missing and thousands have been evacuated following severe flooding in the northwest of the US and parts of Canada.
A storm has brought days of rain to western Washington and British Colombia causing flood damage described by officials as “severe”.
The storms, which started on Sunday, wrecked roads, forced an oil pipeline to close, shut Canada‘s two biggest railways and limited land access to Vancouver – the city with the country’s largest port.
Officials in the small city of Sumas, Washington, said on Facebook on Tuesday that hundreds of people had been evacuated and an estimated 75% of homes had water damage.
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Cattle are herded through Canada flood
Cows are left stranded before their rescue in Abbotsford, British Columbia
Southwest of the city, a 59-year-old man – identified by police on Tuesday as Jose Garcia – remained missing after his truck was swept into a flooded field.
Across the border, the body of a woman was recovered from a landslide near Lillooet, northeast of Vancouver, that was triggered by record rainfall.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police said at least two other people were reported missing.
A satellite image shows flooding in Fraser Valley, Canada on Monday
The Sumas River overflowed, overwhelming rescuers in Abbotsford, British Columbia, on Tuesday, where 1,100 homes were evacuated.
Community members struggled to rescue stranded cattle from a farm and used Jet Skis to help pull the animals to safety.
Abbotsford Mayor Henry Braun said that impassable roads were creating havoc as authorities tried to get people to evacuation sites.
Crew members from Royal Canadian Air Force 442 Squadron rescued some of more than 300 motorists stranded by mudslides on Sunday
“It breaks my heart to see what’s going on in our city,” he said.
The evacuees from Abbotsford and Sumas were among thousands who were forced from their homes.
Officials in the northern Washington city of Ferndale urged people in homes and businesses to evacuate in an area near the rising Nooksack River yesterday.
A truck is partially submerged on a flooded stretch of the Trans-Canada highway
A half-dozen bystanders near the town’s main street rescued a man who had mistakenly drove into floodwaters by pushing his floating car to higher ground.
Further people were airlifted by the US Coast Guard near the town of Forks, Washington.
The floodwater has caused havoc for roads and railway.
Rail services operated by Canadian Pacific Rail and the Canadian National Railway were both out of service at the towns of Hope and Chilliwack in the lower mainland Fraser Valley region, to the east of Vancouver, on Monday.
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Drone footage shows extent of US floods
Crews partially reopened the west coast’s main north-south road, Interstate 5, near Bellingham, Washington, on Monday following its complete closure because of mudslide debris.
Additionally, six railroad cars derailed in Sumas, cancelling services in that location until the water recedes.
At the height of the storm on Monday, more than 158,000 customers in western Washington had no electricity as wind speeds reached 60mph.
More than 31,000 people across the state remained without power on Tuesday.
US Coast Guard air crew rescue people from floodwaters near Forks, Washington
The rains were caused by an atmospheric river – a huge plume of moisture extending over the Pacific and into Washington and Oregon.
About 14cm (5.57in) of rain fell at Bellingham International Airport, Washington, from Saturday through to Monday. The normal monthly rain total is 13cm (5.2in) for November, according to National Weather Service data.
Some areas of Canada received 20cm (8in) of rain on Sunday, the amount that usually falls in a month.
It is the second major widespread flood event in the northwest of Washington state in less than two years, and climate change is fuelling more powerful and frequent severe weather, Whatcom County officials told the Bellingham Herald.
The National Weather Service had issued flood warnings for several rivers around western Washington.
As the two most powerful countries in the world, the relationship between the United States and China is the most consequential of all bilateral ties.
Any change in interactions and behaviour by either side does not just impact security, economic activity and trade in Washington and Beijing, but also affects the rest of the planet.
President Xi Jinping chose to make this point publicly as he said hello – and presumably goodbye – to Joe Biden when the two men met on the sidelines of an economic forum in Peru in what was likely their last face-to-face sit down before the US leader hands the keys to the White House over to Donald Trump.
Joe Biden and Xi Jinping shaking hands in Peru earlier this week. Pic: Reuters
“As two major countries, China and the United States should bear in mind the interest of the whole world and inject more certainty and positive energy into the turbulent world,” Mr Xi said, speaking through a translator.
“It is my consistent belief that as the world’s most important bilateral relationship, a stable China-US relationship is critical not only to the interests of the Chinese and American peoples but also to the future and destiny of the entire humanity.”
Mr Biden, whose relationship with his opposite number does not just span his four years as president but also when he previously served as vice president under Barack Obama, also focused on the importance of dialogue.
“We haven’t always agreed, but our conversations have always been candid and always been frank,” he said, sitting at a long table, surrounded by aides, with Mr Xi opposite him.
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“I think that’s vital. These conversations prevent miscalculations, and they ensure the competition between our two countries will not veer into conflict. Be competition, not conflict.”
While clearly directed at him, it is doubtful that Mr Trump will heed the advice.
He has consistently criticised the Biden administration for being too soft on Beijing and has vowed to be much tougher – even saying he would impose 60% tariffs on Chinese imports.
The president-elect’s picks for top jobs in the White House, such as with China hawks Senator Marco Rubio as his desired secretary of state, and Representative Mike Walz as national security adviser, also point to a hardening in the US’ position on Beijing – which is on a trajectory to overtake Washington as the world’s number one superpower.
This moment of re-ordering in global dominance – something the UK was once forced to absorb when the sun set on the British Empire – is on course to happen regardless of who is in the White House.
But a more hostile and combative commander-in-chief in the White House makes it an increasingly perilous time for everyone.
It is perhaps why the current leaders in Beijing and Washington are so keen to stress that while their feelings towards one another go up and down, the ability to keep talking is critical.
Joe Biden has met with Xi Jinping for the last time as US president, where the Chinese leader said he is “ready to work” with Donald Trump.
Speaking at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Lima, Peru, Mr Biden said the US and China’s relationship should be about “competition, not conflict”.
“We haven’t always agreed, but our conversations have always been candid and always been frank,” he said.
“We’ve never kidded one another. These conversations prevent miscalculations, and they ensure the competition between our two countries will not veer into conflict.
“We’ve been level with one another. I think that’s vital.”
Their last-ever meeting comes as president-elect Donald Trump vows to introduce blanket 60% tariffs on US imports of Chinese goods as part of a series of “America First” trade measures.
Pic: Reuters
But despite Mr Trump’s proposed measures, Mr Xi said his country’s goal “of a stable, healthy and sustainable China-US relationship remains unchanged”.
“Our commitment to mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and… cooperation as principles for handling China-US relations remains unchanged,” he added.
The Chinese president then said the country is “ready to work with the new US administration to maintain communication, expand cooperation and manage differences, so as to strive for a steady transition”.
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Neither Mr Xi nor Mr Biden responded to a question about whether there were concerns about Mr Trump’s proposed tariffs.
The president-elect has also named several China hawks to his transition team, such as Senator Marco Rubio as secretary of state and Representative Mike Waltz as national security adviser.
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Under Mr Biden, Washington has introduced restrictions on US investment in Chinese artificial intelligence, quantum computing and semiconductors.
Former house speaker Nancy Pelosi also visited the island of Taiwan – which China views as a breakaway province – in April 2022.
In their meeting at this time last year – which followed a surge in tensions when an alleged Chinese spy balloon was shot down over the US – both leaders said direct communication between American and Chinese military forces would be restored.
Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson says the health scare in June, which forced the postponement of his boxing match with Jake Paul, almost cost him his life.
“I almost died in June,” Tyson wrote on X, adding that he “had 8 blood transfusions. Lost half my blood and 25lbs in hospital”.
The 58-year-old, who lost to the YouTuber-turned-boxer in a unanimous points decision in Texas, tweeted that the situation was far worse than people had realised.
Following Tyson’s recovery, after reportedly suffering an ulcer flareup, he reflected on the result of the fight.
“This is one of those situations when you lost but still won… no regrets to get in the ring one last time,” he said.
That contrasts with Tyson’s comments after the match in which he refused to confirm whether it would be his last fight.
“It depends on the situation,” Tyson said before suggesting a fight with Paul’s older brother, Logan Paul, who was standing near him in the ring.
Critics argued that the revised match – which involved fewer and shortened rounds, as well as heavier gloves – fell short of entertaining.
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Paul beats Tyson by unanimous decision
Some claimed it appeared more like a glorified sparring session.
It was Tyson’s first sanctioned pro bout since 2005, when he lost to Kevin McBride and then went into retirement – only briefly reappearing for an exhibition match in 2020 against Roy Jones Jr.
Jake Paul believes he can fight for a championship belt within two years. Pic: AP
Paul has plenty to prove
Paul, 27, still has plenty to prove. The social media influencer wants to be a championship fighter and compete for a championship belt within two years. “I think it could happen in the next 24 months,” Paul said.
“I truly, truly believe in my skills and my ability and my power. And the cruiserweight division is seemingly open for the taking on that timeline,” he added.
The only professional match he has lost so far has been to Tommy Fury, the less-accomplished brother of former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.
But there are questions about when Paul will fight a contender in his prime, as opposed to former champions or mixed martial artists.
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Intriguingly, in the days before his fight with Tyson, Paul mentioned super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez, considered one of the best boxers in the world.
According to reports, the Texas bout earned Paul $40m (£31.7m) versus $20m (£15.8m) for Tyson.
Netflix said 60 million households worldwide viewed the contest on its streaming platform, and nearly 50 million tuned in to watch the undercard which saw Ireland’s Katie Taylor beat Puerto Rico’s Amanda Serrano.
Even so there were some technical glitches. More than 90,000 users reported problems on Netflix at its peak, according to the website Downdetector, which tracks outages.
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