Canadian Forces helping rescue those trapped by mudslides on Lougheed Highway

Mudslides trapped hundreds of people overnight in their cars along Lougheed Highway (Highway 7) between Hope and Agassiz, and many are still stuck many hours later.

Rescuers have been working to free those people trapped by the debris and additional resources are now being brought in.

The Canadian Forces Cormorant helicopters are conducting rescue flights to bring people out of the heavily flooded area, and the evacuation centre in Agassiz.

The slides came down at about 8 p.m. Sunday. Local fire and search and rescue crews were able to rescue about 12 people shortly after. Some of them were in their vehicles when they began filling with mud and water.

As of Monday morning, 275 additional people, including 50 children, who were told to shelter in place overnight on the road because conditions made it unsafe to cross still needed help.

“It was determined early last night that it was not safe for people to try to cross the debris,” said Capt. Jonathan Gormick with Canada Task Force 1.

“It was still flowing. It was still full of large chunks of debris, like logs and big rocks.”

A photo from a stalled traveler on Highway 7 near Kent. (Courtesy Erika Schiller)

No injuries have been reported.

“The commendable efforts of Agassiz Fire Department last night in treacherous conditions was key to saving those trapped in their vehicles, which were filling with debris and water,” Gormick said.

“This operation is dynamic, and further information about the debris flows, additional vehicles, rescues or recoveries may change the team’s strategy. Canada Task Force 1 currently has 34 members deployed to the incident, and is prepared to deploy additional resources if work carries on beyond the initial operational period.”

He says conditions are favourable at this time to get everyone out by the end of the day.

“They will be flown to a reception centre in Agassiz, where they will be medically assessed by BC Ambulance and then released once they’ve checked in with RCMP.”

A photo of the view that Erika Schiller saw for hours after she and hundreds of other drivers were stuck on Highway 7 overnight. (Courtesy Erika Schiller)

People stuck between slides try be patient, keep spirits up

Erika Schiller was caught overnight on the highway and was far enough back that she didn’t notice any pooling water inside her vehicle.

She says they checked on other drivers to make sure everyone had food and water.

“You have to be in high spirits to deal with these kinds of things, if you’re not it’s not going to be okay,” she said.

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The slides came down following another mudslide on Highway 1 near Bridal Falls and a mudslide on the Coquihalla near Portia Peak.

One caller was detoured onto Highway 7 after Highway 1 was closed while he was trying to get home to Vancouver. He and his passenger were stuck on the road overnight.

“We’re prepared, we came back on our road trip with some food and water and stuff but I’m not sure how everyone else was doing,” he said.

He says he has been trying to stay up to date on how long they will be stuck and has had very few details.

Another caller to CityNews 1130 was on his way up the Coquihalla to drop off his daughter in Kelowna when he started anticipating trouble with the weather on the roads.

Mudslides have closed #BChwy1 between Popkum and #HopeBC. This image is near Popkum.
Crews are on site and working to address. Check @DriveBC for updates. pic.twitter.com/JeGWSDnjpL

— BC Transportation (@TranBC) November 15, 2021

“I was thinking, ‘There’s going to be some slides.’ There were waterfalls everywhere, muddy water. The rivers were overflowing, and you could see trees in it, so it was only a matter of time in my opinion that there was going to be some sort of a landslide,” he said. 

When he started heading back, the Coquihalla and Highway 1 were both closed, so he headed to the Hope-Princeton Highway.

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But when he got to Hope, Highway 1 was closed back to Chilliwack. He was diverted to Highway 7 and had been stopped there for about an hour when he spoke to CityNews Vancouver.

“There were times we were going 10 kilometres per hour with traffic in the rain,” he said. “I think we’re stuck until they can at least open partial lanes.”

Sounds like there are cars impacted by mudslide on Lougheed Hwy. Hearing vehicles with water in them, but it’s not clear yet if anyone has been hurt. @BC_EHS confirms they were called at 8:20 pm but they’re waiting for the area to be assessed and declared safe @CityNewsVAN

— Tarnjit Kaur Parmar (@Tarnjitkparmar) November 15, 2021

Another caller stopped on Lougheed Highway prepared for the worst early on, knowing it would likely be hours before he was able to move.

“I heard it was covering the road about four feet thick, and it’s going across the road,” he said. “I’m expecting we’re spending the night here.”

With files from Hana Mae Nassar