Destructive landslide caught on film in B.C.

Destructive landslide caught on film in B.C.

By: Kyle DeNuccio

A Canadian news crew investigating a deadly landslide was caught off-guard when another large slide struck Johnsons Landing, British Columbia on Friday.



The journalists reporting for Canada's Global News narrowly escaped the disaster, along with one other boat docked at the shore's edge where the destruction took place. Upon hearing the rumbling mass of land headed toward them, both boats moved into safer waters. Francis Silvaggio, who was onboard with the film crew, commented in disbelief: "Five minutes ago we were there. We would have been wiped out."

The other boat in the video can be seen outrunning the massive logs that barreled into Kootenay Lake. The normally serene vacationing spot in Johnsons Landing saw brown waves surging out from shore after the first slide hit, while trees collapsed and debris piled into the water.

Emergency Info BC, the British Columbian Government's Twitter source for alerts on natural disasters put out an advisory shortly after the slide, writing, "Onlookers should keep clear of Johnsons Landing landslide area. [Please] allow emergency personnel to do their work."

Unfortunately, the warning came too late for some as a search crew of approximately 70 people set out to locate four individuals who police declared missing in Thursday's slide, which the news crew set out to investigate. On Sunday afternoon, the body of a man who is believed to be 64-year-old Valentie John Webber was found, The Canadian Press reported. Webber was declared missing Thursday, along with his two daughters, 17-year-old Rachel and 22-year-old Diana, neither of whom have yet been found. The fourth person who went missing in the slide, Petra Freshe, a 64-year-old German man is also still unaccounted for.

The rescue mission was handed over to the British Columbia Coroner's office on Sunday night. Despite the discouraging news, Chief Coroner Lisa LaPointe assured The Canadian Press that "searches for the remaining people are underway."