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

Trial sees texts between men accused in migrants' deaths by Manitoba-Minnesota border

Trial sees texts between men accused in migrants' deaths by Manitoba-Minnesota border
The trial of two men accused of human smuggling is getting a look at messages the prosecution says prove the pair conspired to sneak people across the Canada-United States border. Steve Shand and Harshkumar Patel have pleaded not guilty to charges of organizing several illegal crossings of Indian nationals from Manitoba to Minnesota in late 2021 and early 2022.

Trial sees texts between men accused in migrants' deaths by Manitoba-Minnesota border

Canadians favour government intervention in Canada Post, port labour disputes: poll

Canadians favour government intervention in Canada Post, port labour disputes: poll
Polling firm Leger found 63 per cent of respondents to a new survey were in favour of the Liberal government's move to step in and ask the Canada Industrial Relations Board to order a resumption of port operations and move negotiations into binding arbitration. Nineteen per cent were opposed, and another 19 per cent said they didn't know.

Canadians favour government intervention in Canada Post, port labour disputes: poll

Bomb cyclone batters B.C. with hurricane-force winds, cutting roads and power

Bomb cyclone batters B.C. with hurricane-force winds, cutting roads and power
Hurricane-force winds of up to 170 km/h have slammed into parts of the British Columbia coast as a massive storm swirling off Vancouver Island severed highways and cut power to more than 200,000 people overnight. Winds from the bomb cyclone weather system exceeded 100 km/h in multiple areas late Tuesday, with gusts approaching 80 km/h at Vancouver's airport.

Bomb cyclone batters B.C. with hurricane-force winds, cutting roads and power

Canada, U.S. close embassies to public in Ukraine due to threat of Russian strikes

Canada, U.S. close embassies to public in Ukraine due to threat of Russian strikes
The Canadian and American embassies in Ukraine are closed to the public today after the U.S. warned of a "potential significant air attack" by Russia in Kyiv.  Ukraine's intelligence agency posted a statement today accusing Russia of spreading fake messages about the threat of an "extremely massive" attack on Ukrainian cities and urging people not to panic. 

Canada, U.S. close embassies to public in Ukraine due to threat of Russian strikes

'My heart sank': Trial hears diapers, mittens set off search for family found frozen

'My heart sank': Trial hears diapers, mittens set off search for family found frozen
Diapers, baby wipes, little mittens and two toy cars — one red and one white — were shown in photos at the trial. A few hours later, metres from the border on the Canadian side, RCMP found the frozen bodies of a family — Jagdish Patel, 39; his wife, Vaishaliben Patel, 37; their 11-year-old daughter, Vihangi; and their three-year-old son, Dharmik.

'My heart sank': Trial hears diapers, mittens set off search for family found frozen

Doctor sexually assaults 4 patients

Doctor sexually assaults 4 patients
Police in Calgary have charged a family doctor with sexually assaulting four patients.  They say four complainants came forward independently last year alleging they were sexually assaulted at a clinic in the city's northwest. 

Doctor sexually assaults 4 patients