Fallen trees and debris are photographed on Monday after a flood swept through the area near Lillooet, British Columbia. Following search efforts this week, the bodies of three men were recovered from the landslide, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). The body of a woman was recovered from the scene on Monday. (British Columbia Ministry of Transportation/Reuters)
The bodies of three men were recovered in a landslide near Lillooet, BC, following search efforts this week, RCMP said.
One deceased person was recovered Wednesday, while two others were found Thursday, BC Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe said in a written statement Saturday.
The search continued Friday for a fourth man who was reported missing, but those efforts were unsuccessful, he said.
On Monday, the body of a woman was also recovered from the landslide site, marking the first confirmed death resulting from catastrophic flooding and landslides in the southern half of the province, caused in part by extreme rainfall last weekend.
The search efforts have now concluded as all avenues have been exhausted, Lapointe said, but discussions are underway to determine the best way to proceed moving forward.
Police are now trying to identify the three men and notify their families.
Four people are missing in a landslide south of Lillooet on Highway 99, according to the RCMP.
One death confirmed as rescuers continue searching for debris from BC landslide
“I also extend my deepest condolences to the families now grieving the sudden and unexpected death of their loved one, and to the family of the missing person whom we have so far been unable to locate,” Lapointe said in the statement.
This has been an incredibly difficult year for everyone in BC, and I stand in solidarity with the many families and communities who have suffered tragic losses. At the BC Coroners Service, we will continue to make every effort to establish and publicly record the facts of these tragedies, and, whenever possible, we will make recommendations to prevent similar deaths in the future.
Police, along with search and rescue teams, had been searching for four missing people in connection with a mudslide that swept away a section of Highway 99, also known as Duffey Lake Road, on November 15.
British Columbia RCMP Staff Sgt. Janelle Shoihet said efforts to find the fourth missing person have been hampered by weather and local conditions.
The area remains closed to motorists with no timeline for when the road will reopen.