A storm that hit B.C.’s South Coast has caused flooding and landslides across parts of Vancouver Island.
In Lantzville, north of Nanaimo, a mudslide washed out Rumming Road, taking a vehicle with it.
The driver ended up down a 75-foot embankment as the road washed away under her car.
Nick Rivers, the president and search manager of Arrowsmith Search and Rescue, was out on Sunday night checking areas that are known to be prone to flooding.
He had called Search and Rescue in Nanaimo to get some help and was told about the vehicle down the embankment.
When Rivers got there, they found the vehicle upside down with the windows smashed out and water and dirt pouring onto it.
“It was the worst thing I’ve seen,” he said.
When crews got to the bottom, they were able to pull the young driver to safety.
“We got her out of the vehicle and harnessed up and back up to the top,” he said. “We managed to do it very quickly and everyone was in very good spirits. She was fine. I was able to make a few jokes on the way up so that was nice. It helped to calm everyone down after a traumatic experience.”
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The driver was taken to hospital.
“She was very cold, panicked, it’s a really traumatizing thing to go through,” said Rivers. “With all the rocks and the debris and the car, it was really something like you see in a disaster movie, like you see on TV.”
Along with Arrowsmith Search and Rescue, Nanaimo Search and Rescue, Comox Valley Ground Search and Rescue and the Alberni Valley Rescue Squad were also called out to help.
An emergency has been declared in the Regional District of Nanaimo due to flooding in Parksville and Whiskey Creek and a landslide in Lantzville.
The district says a Level 2 Emergency Operation Centre has been activated. This means an emergency affecting multiple jurisdictions, populations and areas.
Martindale Road in Parksville, Melrose Road in Whiskey Creek and Rumming Road in Lantzville, are now closed.
The rain is expected to taper off Monday evening.
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