At least three homes are thought to have been engulfed in Thursday's landslide in Johnsons Landing, B.C., which authorities believe trapped four people. (Bob Keating/CBC)
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The body of one of four people believed to have been trapped under a landslide in southeastern British Columbia has been found, authorities said Sunday evening as they announced the rescue mission is now a recovery effort.
The B.C. Coroners Service is taking over the operation following the "reluctant" decision that "there was no longer any hope that anyone who had been caught in the slide could be found alive," the service said in a statement.
Three people remain unaccounted for.
RCMP said the body found Sunday appears to be that of a man.
A view from across Kootenay Lake shows the slide into the community of Johnsons Landing. (Submitted by David Alves)
Valentine Webber, 60; his two daughters Diana Webber, 22, and Rachel Webber, 17; and Petra Frehse, 64, have been missing since the landslide hit Thursday in Johnsons Landing, B.C.
Frehse is a German retiree who would spend part of her year living in a home next door to the Webbers. At least three houses were engulfed when the wall of mud, rock and trees cascaded down a hillside Thursday morning.
The Webbers were about to sit down to breakfast moments before the slide hit, Lynn Migdal, the women's mother and Valentine Webber's ex-wife, told CBC News last week.
For days since the slide, dozens of rescuers searched the slippery terrain under a relentless downpour. With the discovery of an adult male body in the rubble late Sunday, the RCMP handed the operation over to the B.C. Coroner's Service.
Believed to be Valentine Webber
The body, believed to be that of Valentine Webber, was found near the foundations of a home that was swept away in the slide.
RCMP Const. Dan Moskaluk said they have informed the family of the deceased that the body was recovered.
Possible email warning
The B.C. Ministry of Forests said over the weekend that it had received an email from a Johnsons Landing resident on the morning of the day the slide occurred.
In the email the woman, whose name wasn't released by the ministry, said she noticed "surges of chocolate-coloured water that came down Gar Creek," each bringing down a significant number of logs and debris and causing a jam.
"As soon as the log jam formed, gravel began to be deposited behind it," she said. "The entire level of the creekbed has now been raised at least (1.8 metres) in that area."
The woman wrote later that the whole creek was flowing over and down her driveway and made reference to a conversation with a friend, who had search and rescue experience, who told her to stay on high ground.
Hours later, the mountainside gave way.
The Canadian Press
"Our condolences to the Webber family for their loss, and again we offer our support and condolences to the family of Petra Frehse," the RCMP said.
Rescue teams were being called away from the site as the recovery effort proceeded.
B.C. Premier Christy Clark sent her condolences to the family and friends of the victims in a statement.
"At times like these, it is difficult to give up hoping for a miracle," Clark said. "Communities and governments have provided every possible response to this disaster, and nature has conspired against us in many ways."
The province's chief coroner, Lisa Lapointe, arrived on site Sunday and will have to decide whether to declare the missing victims legally dead if recovery efforts are unable to find their bodies.
"Searches for the remaining missing people are underway," she said, calling it a "very, very difficult time" for the victims' loved ones.
The frantic search for the Webbers and Frehse began shortly after 11 a.m. PT Thursday in the tiny community 70 kilometres northeast of Nelson and 450 kilometres east of Vancouver. But the search had to be suspended for the first half of the day on Friday because of further landslides in the area.
The rescue mission involved helicopters, geotechnicians, canine units, divers and industrial crews at various times.
-- Edited by Uke on Monday 16th of July 2012 08:57:13 AM
Snippy said
4:38 PM, 07/16/12
In that image, it looks like a house may have been overrun by the slide.
Uke said
10:52 PM, 07/16/12
Yeah... I think the US sent a team in ta help with rescue/recovery up there... First Responders, and a helicopter team!
That's the roof of ONE of three houses hit!
Snippy said
1:11 AM, 07/17/12
What do you think, Phreddie?
Look like a house in that slide to you?
Calvin said
2:03 AM, 07/17/12
Haffta ask HogBob if UP was up there cuttin trees......
Freddie Krueger said
12:36 PM, 07/17/12
Yep
Uke said
3:36 PM, 07/17/12
A second slide hit the area late yesterday... Everyone was on high-alert during the rescue/recovery, and a geophysicist was monitoring soil samples from the region.
Body recovered from Johnsons Landing landslide in B.C.
3 other women missing as rescue operation transitions to coroner's probe
CBC News
Posted: Jul 15, 2012 8:03 PM PT
Last Updated: Jul 16, 2012 12:00 AM PT
At least three homes are thought to have been engulfed in Thursday's landslide in Johnsons Landing, B.C., which authorities believe trapped four people. (Bob Keating/CBC)
The body of one of four people believed to have been trapped under a landslide in southeastern British Columbia has been found, authorities said Sunday evening as they announced the rescue mission is now a recovery effort.
The B.C. Coroners Service is taking over the operation following the "reluctant" decision that "there was no longer any hope that anyone who had been caught in the slide could be found alive," the service said in a statement.
Three people remain unaccounted for.
RCMP said the body found Sunday appears to be that of a man.
Valentine Webber, 60; his two daughters Diana Webber, 22, and Rachel Webber, 17; and Petra Frehse, 64, have been missing since the landslide hit Thursday in Johnsons Landing, B.C.
Frehse is a German retiree who would spend part of her year living in a home next door to the Webbers. At least three houses were engulfed when the wall of mud, rock and trees cascaded down a hillside Thursday morning.
The Webbers were about to sit down to breakfast moments before the slide hit, Lynn Migdal, the women's mother and Valentine Webber's ex-wife, told CBC News last week.
For days since the slide, dozens of rescuers searched the slippery terrain under a relentless downpour. With the discovery of an adult male body in the rubble late Sunday, the RCMP handed the operation over to the B.C. Coroner's Service.
Believed to be Valentine Webber
The body, believed to be that of Valentine Webber, was found near the foundations of a home that was swept away in the slide.
RCMP Const. Dan Moskaluk said they have informed the family of the deceased that the body was recovered.
Possible email warning
The B.C. Ministry of Forests said over the weekend that it had received an email from a Johnsons Landing resident on the morning of the day the slide occurred.
In the email the woman, whose name wasn't released by the ministry, said she noticed "surges of chocolate-coloured water that came down Gar Creek," each bringing down a significant number of logs and debris and causing a jam.
"As soon as the log jam formed, gravel began to be deposited behind it," she said. "The entire level of the creekbed has now been raised at least (1.8 metres) in that area."
The woman wrote later that the whole creek was flowing over and down her driveway and made reference to a conversation with a friend, who had search and rescue experience, who told her to stay on high ground.
Hours later, the mountainside gave way.
The Canadian Press
"Our condolences to the Webber family for their loss, and again we offer our support and condolences to the family of Petra Frehse," the RCMP said.
Rescue teams were being called away from the site as the recovery effort proceeded.
B.C. Premier Christy Clark sent her condolences to the family and friends of the victims in a statement.
"At times like these, it is difficult to give up hoping for a miracle," Clark said. "Communities and governments have provided every possible response to this disaster, and nature has conspired against us in many ways."
The province's chief coroner, Lisa Lapointe, arrived on site Sunday and will have to decide whether to declare the missing victims legally dead if recovery efforts are unable to find their bodies.
"Searches for the remaining missing people are underway," she said, calling it a "very, very difficult time" for the victims' loved ones.
The frantic search for the Webbers and Frehse began shortly after 11 a.m. PT Thursday in the tiny community 70 kilometres northeast of Nelson and 450 kilometres east of Vancouver. But the search had to be suspended for the first half of the day on Friday because of further landslides in the area.
The rescue mission involved helicopters, geotechnicians, canine units, divers and industrial crews at various times.
-- Edited by Uke on Monday 16th of July 2012 08:57:13 AM
That's the roof of ONE of three houses hit!
Look like a house in that slide to you?
Haffta ask HogBob if UP was up there cuttin trees......
No further news...except the second slide.