A quiet weekend in the community of Lillooet, British Columbia, turned into heartbreak after a powerful mudslide swept through the region, claiming four lives and leaving another person unaccounted for. What began as heavy rainfall quickly spiraled into disaster, unleashing flooding, landslides, and the sudden destruction of homes, vehicles, and roads.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police confirmed the tragic toll after days of search-and-rescue efforts. The first victim recovered was a woman found close to the initial slide zone. In the days that followed, crews located three more men who had lost their lives. One person remains missing, and with the ground still dangerously unstable, authorities fear recovery will be both difficult and uncertain.
The small town of Lillooet, nestled in the rugged Fraser Canyon, is no stranger to natural hazards. Surrounded by steep mountain slopes and rivers, residents are used to wildfires, floods, and winter storms—but the scale of this mudslide has stunned even long-time locals. One resident shared, “I’ve lived here for decades, and I’ve never seen anything like this. The earth just gave way, and in moments, lives were gone.”
Highway 99, the lifeline that connects Lillooet to the rest of British Columbia, was buried under debris and remains closed indefinitely. Its closure has not only slowed recovery but left the town feeling cut off and isolated. With supply routes disrupted, residents now rely heavily on community support and emergency services.
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