The death toll in British Columbia is expected to rise amid massive flooding and landslides.
The province has declared a state of emergency and the federal government is sending in the air force to help.
A month’s worth of rain poured over parts of the province in just two days, destroying roads, causing bare store shelves, and leaving many mountain towns isolated.
One woman has died in a mudslide that swept across a stretch of Highway 99, which is about 280 km north of Vancouver. Three people are missing.
Premier John Horgan believes more deaths will be confirmed in the coming days.
He says support from the Canadian Armed Forces will be vital to evacuation efforts, supporting supply chain routes, and helping to protect residents.
“Provincial, federal and local governments are working with emergency personnel to make sure people and communities get the help they need as they work through yet another natural disaster,” Horgan says in a statement. “This provincial declaration of emergency will ensure the transport of goods, and essential and emergency services. Thank you to everyone for doing what you can to stay safe and to help one another as we work through this catastrophic time.”
Meantime, residents have been resorting to unconventional means to help rescue animals.
Cowboy Henry Chillihitzia has posted a video to Facebook showing how he helped rescue 29 horses from a flooded hayfield in Merritt, B.C.
He uses a motorboat to guide the herd through the freezing and rushing floodwaters while a tractor guards the perimeter.
You can hear the whinnying of worried horses followed by victorious hollers of the heroes who helped guide them to safety.
A similar scene unfolded in Abbotsford, which accounts for roughly half of the dairy farms in B.C.
Community members came together by boat and jet ski to save cows.
Some farmers tried to rescue the animals in boats, while others laced ropes around their necks to help guide them to higher ground.
However, the province says thousands of animals have been killed by the flooding while veterinarians are rushing to help others who are trapped.
The disaster is being called a once-in-500-year event.
