Close X
Friday, January 10, 2025
ADVT 
National

Second mudslide victim's body found as more high winds strike B.C. coast

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 23 Dec, 2024 11:44 AM
  • Second mudslide victim's body found as more high winds strike B.C. coast

High winds are again hitting the coast of British Columbia, as gusts surpassing 100 km/h have been reported at several outlying islands.

The continuing stormy weather comes as police say emergency crews have recovered the body of a second victim killed in a mudslide in the Sea to Sky region during another windstorm last weekend.

Environment Canada says it has issued a wind warning for B.C.'s north and central coast including Haida Gwaii, northern and eastern Vancouver Island as well as parts of the Sunshine Coast, including Powell River.

The agency says winds in some areas may reach 120 km/h, presenting potentially hazardous driving conditions.

In response to the warnings, BC Ferries say a number of sailings in Haida Gwaii and the areas near Campbell River and Hornby Island were cancelled, although most crossings have resumed as conditions improve.

A weather advisory for Greater Victoria and the Southern Gulf Islands also warned of gusty winds in the area that may lead to power outages and disrupt travel plans.

Environment Canada data shows gusts reaching 140 km/h and beyond at Sartine and Solander islands off the northern coast of Vancouver Island today, while locations such as Sandspit and Masset in Haida Gwaii are reporting gusts of 90 km/h or above.

The frontal system that brought high winds to coastal B.C. this weekend also caused temperatures to spike in a number of communities, with Bella Bella, Prince Rupert, Qualicum Beach and West Vancouver all breaking decades-old high-temperature records on Saturday.

In response, Avalanche Canada has elevated the risk level to "considerable" for a number of alpine areas along B.C.'s coast, including most of Vancouver Island, much of the mountainous regions north of Metro Vancouver, as well as the area north of Kitimat to the provincial border with the Alaskan Panhandle.

The latest weather warnings come a day after winds exceeding 120 km/h pummeled B.C.'s central coast Saturday, while places such as Bella Bella and the Howe Sound north of Metro Vancouver reported gusts exceeding 90 km/h.

Earlier in the week, winds approaching 140 km/h were reported on Vancouver Island, while last weekend's severe windstorm led to the mudslide that closed a large section of the Sea to Sky Highway linking Vancouver and Whistler.

A home in the area was also struck by the mudslide, and police recovered the body of one of two occupants on Dec. 15 -- the day after the mudslide.

On Saturday night, Squamish RCMP confirmed that crews recovered the second occupant's body, but did not release the names of the victims.

MORE National ARTICLES

B.C. opens disaster aid to atmospheric river flood victims

B.C. opens disaster aid to atmospheric river flood victims
British Columbia is making disaster financial assistance available to victims of floodwaters that gushed through several communities when an atmospheric river dumped hundreds of millimetres of rain on parts of the province last month. The province says flood-affected residents of Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam, the Squamish First Nation and North and West Vancouver are eligible.

B.C. opens disaster aid to atmospheric river flood victims

Defence Minister Bill Blair "ready to go faster" on spending timeline

Defence Minister Bill Blair
Defence Minister Bill Blair said Monday that he's ready to work with the incoming Donald Trump administration to speed up Canada's timeline to meet its NATO alliance spending targets. Canada committed last year to meet the NATO members' pledge to spend at least two per cent of GDP on national defence and in July Prime Minister Justin Trudeau committed to hitting that target by 2032.

Defence Minister Bill Blair "ready to go faster" on spending timeline

Miller to propose more changes to immigration and asylum system

Miller to propose more changes to immigration and asylum system
Immigration Minister Marc Miller says further reforms to Canada's immigration and asylum systems will be proposed in the coming weeks. This comes on the heels of a significant cut to the amount of permanent residents being admitted to Canada in two years, and the tightening of rules around temporary worker permits. 

Miller to propose more changes to immigration and asylum system

Premiers seek 'urgent' meeting with Trudeau before Trump returns to White House

Premiers seek 'urgent' meeting with Trudeau before Trump returns to White House
Canada's premiers are asking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to hold an urgent first ministers' meeting ahead of the return to office of president-elect Donald Trump. The re-election of the often unpredictable and protectionist former president has spooked a number of countries as they wait to see if he makes good on promises of mass deportation of undocumented residents and across-the-board import tariffs.

Premiers seek 'urgent' meeting with Trudeau before Trump returns to White House

Freeland says the two-month GST holiday is meant to tackle the 'vibecession'

Freeland says the two-month GST holiday is meant to tackle the 'vibecession'
The federal government is hoping a temporary break on GST will address a 'vibecession' that has gripped Canadians, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said Monday. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Thursday that starting Dec. 14 the goods and services tax will be taken off a slew of items for two months to help with the affordability crunch.

Freeland says the two-month GST holiday is meant to tackle the 'vibecession'

First Nation goes to court, accusing B.C. of not consulting over major gold mine

First Nation goes to court, accusing B.C. of not consulting over major gold mine
A First Nation says it wasn't meaningfully consulted before the British Columbia government "effectively greenlit" what has been called the world's largest undeveloped gold mining project.

First Nation goes to court, accusing B.C. of not consulting over major gold mine