Close X
Thursday, October 24, 2024
ADVT 
National

Death toll rises to three after atmospheric river that drenched southern B.C

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 22 Oct, 2024 03:24 PM
  • Death toll rises to three after atmospheric river that drenched southern B.C

At least three deaths have been linked to torrential rain from an atmospheric river weather system that hammered British Columbia's south coast over the weekend.

On Vancouver Island, police said Tuesday that emergency personnel were waiting for an opportunity to safely recover the body of a driver whose vehicle was submerged when an overflowing river washed out a road near Bamfield on Saturday.

A statement from Port Alberni RCMP said they confirmed the person's body was inside the vehicle on Monday, but high water levels and fast-moving currents in the Sarita River had so far prevented crews from accessing it.

The body of the another driver whose vehicle was also swept off Bamfield Road was earlier found a short distance from their truck, which was spotted in the water by a family member on Saturday night.

The same weather system set off a mudslide that swept away a home in the Metro Vancouver city of Coquitlam on Saturday. The body of a 57-year-old elementary school teacher was recovered in the wreckage on Sunday. 

Police have also asked for the public's help locating a 59-year-old man who was last seen in an area beside the swollen Coquitlam River on Sunday afternoon.

Premier David Eby said the man had been walking by the river with his dog, which was found alive, but "troublingly" very wet, while its owner remains missing.

Environment Canada figures show Coquitlam was among the areas hardest hit by the atmospheric river, receiving 256 millimetres of rain between Friday and Sunday night. 

The province's River Forecast Centre had issued a flood warning for the Coquitlam River, downgrading it to a now-rescinded flood watch on Sunday.

Eby said the coroner's service is investigating the death of another man in the Columbia Valley that "may be associated" with the atmospheric river system.

"My heart goes out to the families of those who are missing, who have died. It's devastating for them and for their communities," Eby told a news conference.

"The shock, I'm sure, is overwhelming, and I know, where we don't have answers yet, the waiting must be excruciating."

It continued to rain Monday in many areas, and Eby urged people to be "extremely cautious" around waterways.

Eby said there are "always lessons" when someone dies or there is significant property damage from weather-related disasters.

"We will be reviewing and ensuring that any lessons that can be taken here about future rainfall or flooding-related incidents are taken into account in terms of the specific deaths we saw here."

MORE National ARTICLES

Canada to hit China with tariffs on electric vehicles, aluminum, steel

Canada to hit China with tariffs on electric vehicles, aluminum, steel
Canada is moving to match the United States with new tariffs on electric vehicles made in China in a bid to keep the cars from getting a significant foothold in the North American market. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau outlined the plan at the federal cabinet retreat in Halifax on Monday, promising to increase import taxes on Chinese-made EVs to 106.1 per cent on Oct. 1, up from 6.1 per cent.

Canada to hit China with tariffs on electric vehicles, aluminum, steel

Canada to restrict low-wage foreign workers, consider lower immigration targets

Canada to restrict low-wage foreign workers, consider lower immigration targets
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is urging businesses to hire Canadians as his government announces new restrictions to limit the number of low-wage temporary foreign workers in the country. Ottawa is also considering whether to reduce its annual targets for permanent residency — a potentially major shift on immigration policy for the Liberals.

Canada to restrict low-wage foreign workers, consider lower immigration targets

Canada's two major railways resume service as railroaders return to work

Canada's two major railways resume service as railroaders return to work
Trains began to trundle along the tracks of Canada's two major railways on Monday after the federal labour board ended a four-day work stoppage that snarled supply chains and upended commutes. Amid a bitter labour dispute, the Canada Industrial Relations Board on Saturday ordered Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd. to resume operations and 9,300 workers to return to their posts at 12:01 a.m. ahead of binding arbitration set to begin this week.

Canada's two major railways resume service as railroaders return to work

Strike threat looms in HandyDART dispute as union vote suspends job action

Strike threat looms in HandyDART dispute as union vote suspends job action
Potential disruption to British Columbia's HandyDART transit service this morning was averted after workers suspended job action to vote on a final contract offer, but strike action remains a possibility. Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724 says it will give a 72-hour strike notice if the membership votes down the latest offer by Transdev Canada.

Strike threat looms in HandyDART dispute as union vote suspends job action

Crews face tree danger from high winds as B.C. wildfires abate due to precipitation

Crews face tree danger from high winds as B.C. wildfires abate due to precipitation
Heavy rain in parts of British Columbia over the weekend has lowered wildfire activity in the southern part of the province, but firefighters say strong winds are creating some tree hazards for crews. The BC Wildfire Service says in its latest update that the number of active blazes in the province has fallen to around 311, continuing a downward trend from Friday when there were about 340 fires burning.

Crews face tree danger from high winds as B.C. wildfires abate due to precipitation

B.C. caps rent increases next year at 3 per cent, matching inflation

B.C. caps rent increases next year at 3 per cent, matching inflation
The maximum allowable rent increase in British Columbia next year will be 3 per cent, down from the current 3.5 per cent. The Housing Ministry says the new amount, taking effect on Jan. 1, is tied to inflation, and comes after increases were kept "well below inflation" in 2023 and 2024.

B.C. caps rent increases next year at 3 per cent, matching inflation