Federal police have said that no fewer than one person died in torrential rains that made thousands in western Canada leave their homes and got motorists trapped in mudslides.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police said that search and rescue teams have recovered the body of a woman from a mudslide near Lillooet, 250 kilometres (155 miles) north of Vancouver,
Staff Sergeant, Janelle Shoihet added that investigators have received reports on two missing people, but they believe “there may have been other occupied vehicles that were lost in the slide.”
She said: “The total number of people and vehicles unaccounted for has not been confirmed.”
Mudslides, rocks and debris affected highways that lead to Vancouver and trapped many motorists who were later rescued by military helicopters by nightfall recently.
Local television revealed video footage of the Trans Canada highway linking the coastal city with other parts of the country besieged. Also, a bridge was washed out.
Drive BC’s tweeted: “Highways are closed until further notice.”
Environment Canada revealed that up to 250 millimetres (almost 10 inches) of rain fell between Sunday and Monday around Vancouver.
The acute weather came after British Columbia encountered record-high temperatures that killed over 500 people during the summer and wildfires that vandalised a town.
