RCMP Say 3 Dead After Floodwaters Hit BC

Three people are dead following a boating incident in the Squamish Valley north of Vancouver, where days of heavy rain have caused widespread flooding, RCMP say.

Squamish RCMP initially reported on Nov. 13 that two people had died and a third was missing, while all other individuals involved had been accounted for.

In a later update on Nov. 13, police confirmed that searchers had located the third person, leaving no one unaccounted for. The incident occurred on Nov. 12 at approximately 1:52 p.m.

Cpl. Ashley MacKay said in the statement that elevated water levels and challenging weather had made search, rescue, and recovery efforts on Nov. 12 extremely difficult and unsafe for emergency responders. Operations continued the following day.

The response involved Squamish Search and Rescue, RCMP Air Services, the Lower Mainland District Integrated Emergency Response Team, the RCMP Underwater Recovery Team and West Coast Marine Services.

Flooding has also forced residents of Paradise Valley, about 16 kilometres north of Squamish, to shelter in place after after drenching storms triggered flooding following more than 300 millimetres of rain in areas of southwest B.C. this week.

The Village of Pemberton has issued an evacuation order for properties along Airport Road, while the rest of the village remains under an evacuation alert and shelter-in-place advisory. The Lil’wat First Nation and the Village of Zeballos have also issued evacuation orders for affected properties.

B.C. MLA Jeremy Valeriote, who represents West Vancouver-Sea to Sky, said on social media he was “devastated” by the incident and that his thoughts were with the families of the victims. He also acknowledged the difficult conditions facing residents, businesses and first responders.

Valeriote said the Sea to Sky region “is a strong and resilient community, but no one should have to navigate this alone.” He added that his team would support residents as the community began its recovery.

Environment Canada said a series of intense storms had brought significant rainfall and strong winds to coastal and interior British Columbia since Nov. 10, raising concerns about flooding in several communities.

In a Nov. 12 weather summary, the agency reported that Port Mellon had received 307 millimetres of rain, followed by Kennedy Lake with 263 millimetres, Porteau Cove with 140 millimetres, Whistler-Callaghan Valley with 139 millimetres, Port Alberni Airport with 137 millimetres, and Squamish Airport with 135 millimetres.

Environment Canada also issued a coastal flooding statement early Nov. 13, warning that storm surges, high tides, and strong winds could flood low-lying areas of Metro Vancouver, particularly around Boundary Bay and Semiahmoo Bay. Winds could gust between 60 and 80 kilometres per hour, with the risk of coastal flooding extending into the weekend.

Meanwhile, the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District said the B.C. River Forecast Centre had issued a flood warning for the Pemberton Valley, Howe Sound, and Sea-to-Sky corridor. The warning reflected concerns about rising river levels following several days of heavy rainfall, with communities in the affected areas facing potential flooding.

Most of the rainfall warnings that had blanketed the region were lifted Nov. 12, although yellow warnings remained in place for western, northern and inland Vancouver Island.

The warnings forecast heavy rain into late in the afternoon on Nov. 13, with the highest rainfall expected near Zeballos and Tahsis in northwest Vancouver Island.

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.