Nearly a year has passed since a devastating atmospheric river hit the South Coast, causing a deadly mudslide that swept away a Coquitlam home.
The body of 57-year-old Port Moody teacher Sonya McIntyre, the resident of the destroyed home, was discovered two days after the calamitous storm.
The community has now rallied together to assist in the cleanup of the property remnants. A dumpster positioned along Quarry Road is gradually filling up with twisted metal, broken wooden planks, and scattered plastic bins, serving as a poignant reminder of the structure that once stood there.
To coordinate the cleanup efforts, the Burke Mountain Residents’ Association announced on Facebook that volunteers are welcome on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Despite this call to action, organizers have chosen not to provide further comments at this time.
On October 19, 2024, Coquitlam experienced over 250 millimeters of rainfall, while the rest of the Lower Mainland and B.C.’s South Coast saw rainfall ranging between 100 and 200 mm during the atmospheric river incident.
Tragically, Sonya McIntyre was not the only casualty of the storm. Port Alberni RCMP reported the discovery of another deceased individual whose submerged vehicle was recovered from the Sarita River.
The intense three-day storm set a record by breaking 12 one-day rainfall records across the province.