West Kelowna RCMP have opened a missing person investigation after someone was last seen in the area washed out by a landslide on Westside Road, on April 1, and has not been heard from since.
The slide washed out a portion of Westside Road between Main Street and Denison Road in the Reid Creek area on Tuesday April 1, at approximately 10:45 p.m.
Following the landslide, RCMP were contacted anonymously and told that people experiencing homelessness were known to have been living in the area affected by the incident, said Ed Henczel, a spokesperson for the Kelowna-based Central Okanagan Search and Rescue team (COSAR).
Following the alert and an initial search and verification by the RCMP, a team of 13 COSAR volunteers were dispatched and searched the area for seven hours. A ground team, drones, a Search and Rescue dog named Barrett, and a boat crew attended the scene along with members of the RCMP.
Henczel said that there was evidence of people who had been sheltering in the area, but it was unclear how recently those individuals had last been there.
Henczel said that the team of volunteers had never before searched a mudslide, but used their knowledge and training from swift water, avalanche, and flood rescues – in addition to guidance from other Search and Rescue teams – to stay safe and comb through the area.
"There was a lot of debris. It's all rock, mud and trees and it's difficult to see anything," said Henczel.
According to Henczel, COSAR's dog Barrett alerted the team to a possible find at one point during the search on April 2, but the team did not uncover anything. The area was deemed clear later that day.
Then, on April 7, police notified the public that unique items possibly associated with someone last seen in the same area of the landslide before it occurred had been found. The exact location of where the items were found has not been made public.
COSAR was on-site searching the area during the afternoon of April 7 and will return on Tuesday.
RCMP have stated that out of respect and privacy for the family of the missing person, their name will not be released at this time as it is an ongoing investigation.
Central Okanagan Emergency Operations has also released a warning to residents of the area, asking that they monitor and manage waterways in light of the recent landslide and a sinkhole that has opened up along the Bear Main Forestry Service Road.
"With the heavy rains (Monday) and more rain expected in the forecast, residents, particularly those adjacent to and within recently burned areas, are reminded to stay vigilant and familiarize themselves with their terrain and waterways. This includes monitoring and removing any materials collecting in culverts in front of their property to help reduce pooling and potential localized flooding."
"It is the responsibility of landowners to clear any debris that may settle in front of their property."
For more information on landslide preparedness, visit PreparedBC.
For Westside Road closure updates visit www.drivebc.ca.
