A large mudslide in the Shuswap has damaged two homes and forced the evacuation of four others.
About 30 more homes have been cut off as the debris is covering the dead-end road.
Two houses have been knocked off their foundations on Sunnybrae-Canoe Point Road close to Shuswap Lake near Tappen.
BC Emergency Health Services has tweeted that two people were taken to hospital.
Global News has learned the victims are a mother and her 13-year-old son who were living in a rental house at 4467 Sunnybrae-Canoe Point Road.
Darin Blair is in Nova Scotia where he got the news about his family.
He said they are very shaken up by the experience.
The landlords apparently broke the front window of the home to get the two out, Blair said.
He said if the two were in the back of the house he’s sure they wouldn’t have survived.
Blair said he reached his wife, Amber Mackie, on her cell after hearing about the slide on social media.
“They were loading her in an ambulance and she said everything is gone.”
Their dog and cat are still missing, but Blair doesn’t expect they survived.
The family do not have content insurance. Blair said he doesn’t know where they will live next.
Sunnybrae-Canoe Point Road is closed at Heralds Park due to the slide.
The Sunnybrae Community Association has posted on their Facebook page:
ATTENTION: There has been a mudslide in Sunnybrae located between Hacking Road and Heralds Park. First responders are at the scene. No traffic moving through. We will try and keep you updated as news comes in.
Update: Friday 5:15pm / Slide is a out 1km from the end of Hacking Road, heading towards Heralds Park. This may be a multiple-day close.
For anyone stranded on the highway side – please head to the Sunnybrae Seniors Hall at 3595 Sunnybrae Canoe Point Road for a place to meet.
The Columbia Shuswap Regional District has set up an emergency operations centre for those evacuated. There’s no confirmation on where that’s located.
A Geotechnical assessment is now underway to determine the slope’s stability and safety of the area.
An Emergency Centre has been opened at Sunnybrae Bible Camp just west of the site to help those displaced by the slide.
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