Two dead and one missing after BC flooding leaves Squamish and Pemberton under emergency alerts
An atmospheric river brought more than 300 mm of rain to parts of southwest BC this week, triggering a fatal boating incident in Squamish, evacuations in Pemberton, and storm surge warnings still affecting the coast.
Long read. The subject the most local outlets covered that day, with the public record behind it. Every outlet and record is linked under the story. Read the original report on slrd.bc.ca.
Two people are dead and one person is missing in British Columbia after a week of severe storms brought more than 300 mm of rain to parts of southwest BC, triggering a fatal incident in the Squamish Valley on November 12. Evacuation alerts remain in place in the Pemberton area, and another storm system is expected to arrive over the weekend.
What happened in the Squamish Valley
Squamish RCMP received a call at 1:52 p.m. on November 12 about a boating incident on the 15900 block of Squamish Valley Road. Two people were confirmed dead by the end of that day. One person remained missing as of Friday morning.
RCMP Corporal Ashley MacKay said weather and river conditions shaped the response: "The weather and river conditions have played a significant role in the response efforts." Search, rescue and recovery efforts on November 12 were unsafe for emergency responders, and crews returned Friday with North Shore Rescue providing swiftwater and hoist teams alongside Squamish Search and Rescue and RCMP.
All other people involved in the incident were accounted for.
Squamish RCMP are urging residents and visitors to stay off the water. Rivers in the area carry dangerous flow rates and debris.
Jeremy Valeriote, the MLA-elect for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky with the BC Green Party, said he was devastated by the deaths. "My thoughts are with their families and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time," he said.
Evacuation alerts in the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District
The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) is running active emergency measures across Electoral Area C as of November 12-13:
- An Evacuation Alert for the McCullock Creek area, issued November 12 at 8:34 PM, related to an atmospheric river debris flow event
- A Shelter in Place Advisory for the Pemberton Valley, issued November 12 at 5:35 AM, advising residents to prepare for possible loss of road access
- An Evacuation Alert for the broader Pemberton Valley area in Electoral Area C, issued November 12 at 12:38 AM
An Evacuation Alert means residents should prepare to leave on short notice. A Shelter in Place Advisory means you should stay where you are and get ready for a situation that could worsen, such as roads becoming impassable.
Residents in Electoral Areas C and D were told to prepare for flooding affecting the Pemberton Valley, Howe Sound and Sea-to-Sky areas.
The SLRD Emergency Operations Centre page at slrd.bc.ca carries the latest status for each alert.
Storm surge on the coast Friday morning
As the rain eased, a separate hazard took shape along the coast. Environment Canada issued a coastal flooding statement on November 13 for low-lying areas of Metro Vancouver, southeast Vancouver Island and the southern Gulf Islands, warning that high tides were likely to surpass predicted levels because of storm surge. The peak was expected between 10 a.m. and noon.
A storm surge occurs when strong winds push ocean water toward shore, raising sea levels beyond what tides alone would produce. Combined with saturated ground from the week's rainfall, the risk to low-lying coastal properties was elevated.
Rainfall warnings and the week's total
Some areas of southwest BC received more than 300 mm of rain during this week's storms, Global News BC reported. CHEK News reported that most of Vancouver Island remained under a rainfall warning on Friday, with 50 to 100 mm expected in most areas and up to 120 mm near Zeballos, Tahsis and northern parts of inland Vancouver Island including Gold River.
Environment Canada said the rain was expected to ease late Friday afternoon, before another system arrives over the weekend.
What flood conditions look like now
The BC River Forecast Centre downgraded most of its flood warnings to High Streamflow Advisories as of 10:30 a.m. on November 13. High Streamflow Advisories remain in effect for Vancouver Island (north, west and central), the South Coast including Sea-to-Sky, Howe Sound and the North Shore, and the Pemberton Valley.
A High Streamflow Advisory means rivers are rising or expected to rise rapidly, but major flooding is not expected. Minor flooding in low-lying areas remains possible.
What residents should do
Residents in or near the Pemberton Valley, the Sea-to-Sky corridor, Squamish and coastal low-lying areas should take these steps now:
- Check the SLRD Emergency Operations Centre for the latest evacuation orders and alerts for your address
- Monitor Environment Canada's public weather alerts for your area, as another storm system is forecast to arrive over the weekend
- Stay off the water: Squamish RCMP say rivers remain dangerous because of high flow rates and debris
- If you are in an Evacuation Alert area, prepare a bag and be ready to leave quickly if the alert is upgraded to an Evacuation Order
Flood warnings were active across a wide area of southwest BC for much of the week before the BC River Forecast Centre downgraded them on the morning of November 13. The SLRD covers the Sea-to-Sky corridor and the Pemberton Valley. Its Emergency Operations Centre page is updated when the status of any alert changes.
Questions this story answers
What happened in Squamish on November 12, 2026?
Squamish RCMP responded to a boating incident at 1:52 p.m. on November 12 on the 15900 block of Squamish Valley Road. Two people were confirmed dead and one person remains missing. All others involved in the incident were accounted for. Search, rescue and recovery operations resumed on November 13 with North Shore Rescue swiftwater and hoist crews working alongside Squamish Search and Rescue and RCMP.
What evacuation orders and alerts are still active in the region as of November 13?
The Squamish-Lillooet Regional District has three active emergency measures as of November 12-13: an Evacuation Alert for McCullock Creek in Electoral Area C (issued November 12 at 8:34 PM), a Shelter in Place Advisory for the Pemberton Valley (issued November 12 at 5:35 AM advising residents to prepare for possible loss of road access), and an Evacuation Alert for Electoral Area C in the Pemberton Valley (issued November 12 at 12:38 AM). Residents should check the SLRD Emergency Operations Centre page for the latest updates.
What is a storm surge and which areas of BC were affected on November 13?
A storm surge happens when strong winds push ocean water toward the coast, raising sea levels above what tides alone would produce. Environment Canada issued a coastal flooding statement on November 13 for Metro Vancouver, southeast Vancouver Island, and the southern Gulf Islands, warning that high tides were likely to exceed predicted levels due to storm surge. The peak was expected between 10 a.m. and noon on November 13.
How much rain fell and over what area?
Global News BC reported that some areas of southwest British Columbia received more than 300 mm of rain during this week's storms. Rainfall warnings covered western and inland Vancouver Island. The heaviest rainfall was near Zeballos, Tahsis, and northern parts of inland Vancouver Island including Gold River, where some areas received up to 120 mm.
What is a Shelter in Place Advisory and what should Pemberton residents do?
A Shelter in Place Advisory means residents should stay where they are and prepare for a situation that may worsen, such as possible loss of road access. The SLRD issued a Shelter in Place Advisory for the Pemberton Valley on November 12. Residents should monitor the SLRD Emergency Operations Centre page at slrd.bc.ca for updated instructions and be ready to leave quickly if the advisory is upgraded to an Evacuation Alert or Order.
What did MLA-elect Jeremy Valeriote say about the Squamish deaths?
Jeremy Valeriote, the MLA-elect for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky representing the BC Green Party, said he was devastated to hear of the deaths in Squamish and that his thoughts were with the families and loved ones. He called the time his community was living through difficult, and noted the region had been struggling with severe flooding, evacuations and community disruption.
What is the BC River Forecast Centre saying about flood conditions as of November 13?
The BC River Forecast Centre downgraded its flood warnings and watches for most of southwest BC to High Streamflow Advisories as of November 13. High Streamflow Advisories remain in effect for Vancouver Island (north, west and central), the South Coast (Sea-to-Sky, Howe Sound and North Shore) and the Pemberton Valley. These advisories mean rivers are rising or expected to rise rapidly but major flooding is not expected, though minor flooding in low-lying areas remains possible.
What is Squamish RCMP asking residents and visitors to do?
Squamish RCMP are urging the public to stay off the water due to dangerous flow rates and debris in the rivers and waterways. Corporal Ashley MacKay said weather and river conditions have played a significant role in the response efforts and warned that hazardous conditions remain in the area.
What comes next for affected communities?
Environment Canada reported that another weather system is expected to bring additional precipitation over the weekend to BC's south coast. Residents in the Pemberton Valley, the Sea-to-Sky corridor and coastal areas should continue to monitor the SLRD Emergency Operations Centre at slrd.bc.ca and Environment Canada's alerts for their area throughout the weekend.
Sources
The pages this story draws on. Open one to check a claim yourself.
- SLRD Emergency Operations Centreslrd.bc.ca
- Global News BC - storm surge, November 13globalnews.ca
- Nanaimo News Bulletin - Squamish deaths, November 13nanaimobulletin.com
- Daily Hive Vancouver - Squamish flooding fatalities, November 13dailyhive.com
- CHEK News - Vancouver Island rainfall warning, November 13cheknews.ca
- BC River Forecast Centre - current flood warningsbcrfc.env.gov.bc.ca
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