The RCMP logo is seen outside the force's 'E' division headquarters in Surrey, B.C., on March 16, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
COQUITLAM, B.C. – Police say a woman has been found dead after her home was swept away by a mudslide triggered by torrential rain across British Columbia’s south coast.
RCMP in Coquitlam, B.C., east of Vancouver, say emergency crews had been searching for the 57-year-old since the slide occurred on Saturday.
They say she was found the following evening by firefighters and members of Canada Task Force 1, a specialized search and rescue team based in Vancouver.
The Mounties say officers responded to the slide near Pinecone Burke Provincial Park midday on Saturday, and found one home had been “swept away.”
They say the slide made the road impassable, cutting off several other residents who have been in contact with first responders in Coquitlam.
RCMP say they have notified the family of the victim, but would not provide more about the slide and its “deeply tragic” outcome.
The mudslide came as an atmospheric river brought heavy downpours to B.C.’s south coast all weekend, triggering localized flooding.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.