Search-and-rescue for missing canoeist Dakota Smith was suspended as worsening weather made water and shoreline searches unsafe off northeast Vancouver Island.
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RCMP in Sayward, B.C., say worsening conditions have made it unsafe to continue water and shoreline searches for 35-year-old Dakota Smith, reported missing last Friday after going fishing off Vancouver Island.
Police said Smith’s capsized canoe was found in the water off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island, but that the chances of survival have been “drastically reduced” by “high unpredictable winds, heavy rainfalls and the frigid water temperature.”
The search pause comes as storms associated with atmospheric rivers continue to hit southwest B.C., following a week of unsettled weather that has also been linked to deaths and widespread disruption.
Environment Canada recorded high winds the day Smith went missing, and British Columbia has continued to be affected by storm systems.
The Ma’amtagila Nation community said in social media statements that members were continuing to look for Smith despite the end of the official search, and urged federal and provincial governments to keep supporting the search effort.
Environment Canada meteorologist Michael Gismondi said the drenching from the atmospheric river storms is “fairly typical for this time of year,” adding that catastrophic impacts are not expected, though flooding remains possible as heavy rain continues for a day or more.
Gismondi said the atmospheric river “kind of taps into some warm tropical air from the lower latitudes and it brings it right up to the B.C. coast,” and he expected another system to re-intensify conditions as the region moves into Wednesday.
Environment Canada has raised orange rainfall warnings for west and central Vancouver Island, Howe Sound and the Sea-to-Sky regions, warning that “severe” storms are likely to cause significant damage and disruption.
The agency says some parts of Vancouver Island could see more than 250 millimetres of rain, while Howe Sound and the Sea to Sky regions could receive upwards of 160 millimetres. Parts of Metro Vancouver could get about 120 millimetres, and Haida Gwaii and north Vancouver Island could face wind gusts up to 110 kilometres an hour.
British Columbia’s River Forecast Centre issued ongoing 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.
The centre also issued high streamflow advisories for southern Vancouver Island, the Fraser Valley and Fraser Canyon on Tuesday.
BC Hydro said crews are working to restore power after damaging storms affected about 415,000 customers across the province since Friday, and noted that about 2,300 properties remained without power as of Tuesday. It said the most extensive storm damage happened in northern and central Interior.
Gismondi said precipitation along the coastal regions is expected to slow early Wednesday before the next system arrives, with rain expected to continue through Friday before another short break, and possibly more rain into the weekend.
He urged people to take steps to mitigate flooding, including keeping storm drains clear and securing loose objects amid expected winds.
Gismondi also warned drivers to watch for water pooling on roads, avoid driving through deep water, and be aware of hydroplaning by keeping headlights on, using a safe following distance and slowing down.
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