Search-and-rescue efforts for a missing canoeist off Vancouver Island were suspended due to worsening conditions tied to atmospheric river storms.
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Search-and-rescue efforts for a missing canoeist off Vancouver Island have been suspended as a severe weather system continues to batter British Columbia’s south coast, forecasters warn of flooding and landslides tied to drenching rain.
RCMP in Sayward said worsening conditions made it unsafe to continue water and shoreline searches for Dakota Smith, 35, who was reported missing last Friday after going fishing. Police said Smith’s capsized canoe was found in waters off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island, but his chances of survival had been "drastically reduced" by "high unpredictable winds, heavy rainfalls and the frigid water temperature."
The Ma’amtagila Nation said members continued looking for Smith despite the end of the official search. The weather that began last week included high winds in the day Smith went missing.
The storms are part of a series of atmospheric rivers hitting southwest B.C., with forecasts calling for up to 250 millimetres of rain in some areas. Environment Canada issued orange rainfall warnings for west and central Vancouver Island, Howe Sound and the Sea-to-Sky regions, where severe storms are expected to cause significant damage and disruption.
Environment Canada also warned that parts of the region could see more than 250 millimetres of rain, while Howe Sound and the Sea-to-Sky areas could see upwards of 160 millimetres. The forecast also includes possible wind gusts up to 110 kilometres an hour for Haida Gwaii and north Vancouver Island, and orange warnings for damaging winds in central B.C., with gusts up to 100 kilometres an hour expected on Tuesday into Wednesday.
BC’s River Forecast Centre issued flood watches on Monday for much of Vancouver Island and the South Coast, with the worst conditions expected to last into Wednesday before tapering off Thursday. It also issued high streamflow advisories on Tuesday for southern Vancouver Island, the Fraser Valley and the Fraser Canyon.
Meanwhile, BC Hydro said its crews were working to restore power for customers following damaging storms that affected about 415,000 customers across the province since Friday. As of Tuesday, about 2,300 properties remained without power, with the most extensive damage reported in the northern and central Interior.
Environment Canada said precipitation along the coast is expected to slow early Wednesday before another system arrives and re-intensifies the front into Wednesday. In the near term, officials urged residents to prepare for flooding risks and take precautions while driving in heavy rain and high winds.
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