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Three people still missing following deadly mudslide on B.C.’s Highway 99

Click to play video: 'B.C. floods: Woman killed in Duffey Lake Roads slide, at least two more people missing'
B.C. floods: Woman killed in Duffey Lake Roads slide, at least two more people missing
WATCH: B.C.'s severe rainstorm has claimed at least one life. The body of a Lower Mainland woman was recovered from a landslide on the Duffey Lake road near Lillooet. – Nov 16, 2021

Crews have now started removing vehicles and debris from Highway 99-Duffey Lake Road as three people remain missing following two mudslides on Monday.

A woman from the Lower Mainland died in the mudslide, which struck north of Pemberton, B.C.

RCMP said they have received what they believe to be three missing person reports in connection with the slide.

They are still investigating those reports.

RCMP said they have not confirmed any more fatalities.

Pemberton Search and Rescue manager David MacKenzie said between five and seven cars were pushed off the highway and down an embankment, as a wall of mud and debris slid down the mountain.

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Click to play video: 'From the air: A look at the slide along Highway 99-Duffey Lake Road north of Pemberton'
From the air: A look at the slide along Highway 99-Duffey Lake Road north of Pemberton

It appears two slides occurred in the area.

The first slide was reported Monday morning and affected about 50 cars, forcing them to stop on the road, leaving them vulnerable to what crews called a secondary mudslide, which violently struck five to seven vehicles.

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One of the people caught up in the slide was Global BC cameraman, Mike Timbrell.

He said he could see people getting out of their vehicles and looking at something around the corner.

Click to play video: '‘I heard this loud terrifying roar’: Global News cameraman shares details of surviving Duffey Lake mudslide'
‘I heard this loud terrifying roar’: Global News cameraman shares details of surviving Duffey Lake mudslide

As people started walking back, Timbrell said he heard a “loud, terrifying roar.”

“This roar came and it hit my truck and there were trees flying. I had my seatbelt on. I took it off and laid on the floor of my truck. My truck was moving all over, getting hammered by trees. I thought I was a gonner.”

Timbrell said it finally stopped and he managed to get out of the passenger door and run.

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“I turned around and looked at my truck and it was half-buried and all the cars that were on the road and all the people, they were just gone.

“Gone.”

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