--- title: "Two dead and one missing after BC flooding leaves Squamish and Pemberton under emergency alerts" description: "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." canonical_url: "https://voche.me/bc/provincial-2026/news/bc-atmospheric-river-flooding-deaths-november-2026" last_updated: "2026-11-13T20:08:30.414Z" --- 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](/bc/provincial-2026/candidates/jeremy-valeriote) with the [BC Green Party](/bc/provincial-2026/parties/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](https://www.slrd.bc.ca/protective-emergency-services/emergency-operations-centre) 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](https://www.slrd.bc.ca/protective-emergency-services/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. ## Sitemap See the full [sitemap](/bc/provincial-2026/sitemap.md) for all pages.