Close X
Saturday, January 11, 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

Rustad seeks review as Elections BC says box of 861 votes went uncounted

Rustad seeks review as Elections BC says box of 861 votes went uncounted
British Columbia's election agency says it has discovered that a ballot box containing 861 votes wasn't counted in the recent provincial election, as well as other mistakes, including 14 votes going unreported in a crucial riding narrowly won by the NDP. The errors prompted B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad to call for an independent review on Monday.

Rustad seeks review as Elections BC says box of 861 votes went uncounted

Series of robberies in Richmond

Series of robberies in Richmond
Police in the Metro Vancouver community of Richmond have issued a public warning after a series of robberies that took place near a school. RCMP say four of the six robberies happened between October 14th and November 1st, and all but one occurred at night.

Series of robberies in Richmond

Key architect of reconciliation: Judge, senator, TRC chair Murray Sinclair dies at 73

Key architect of reconciliation: Judge, senator, TRC chair Murray Sinclair dies at 73
A teepee and a sacred fire were set up in front of the Manitoba legislature on Monday to honour Murray Sinclair, as tributes poured in from across the country for the former judge, senator and chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission into residential schools. People lined up under grey skies, facing a cold wind, to enter the teepee and pay respects. Flags nearby flew at half-mast.

Key architect of reconciliation: Judge, senator, TRC chair Murray Sinclair dies at 73

Hindu temple in Surrey wants police suspended after protest unrest

Hindu temple in Surrey wants police suspended after protest unrest
The arrests outside the Sri Lakshmi Narayana Hindu Temple came as protesters calling for a separate Sikh nation called Khalistan had demonstrated outside the temple on Sunday during a visit by Indian consular officials.

Hindu temple in Surrey wants police suspended after protest unrest

Jump in home sales in Vancouver

Jump in home sales in Vancouver
Home sales in Greater Vancouver jumped nearly 32 per cent last month compared with October 2023 as interest rate reductions boosted demand. A statement from Greater Vancouver Realtors says more than 26-hundred homes changed hands, although that's still about 5.5 per cent below the 10-year average.

Jump in home sales in Vancouver

Shooting in a Nanaimo home

Shooting in a Nanaimo home
Police in Nanaimo say a man was taken to hospital with serious injuries following a shooting in a home on Saturday. R-C-M-P say they responded to reports of shots fired at around 6 p-m.

Shooting in a Nanaimo home