Coquitlam Mudslide Knocks Out Power as Heavy Rainfall Hits B.C.'s South Coast

A mudslide in Coquitlam knocked out power to hundreds of homes Friday as the heaviest rainfall of the season soaked parts of B.C.'s South Coast. Flood watches are in effect for Metro Vancouver and the Sea-to-Sky region.

A mudslide in Coquitlam knocked out power to hundreds of homes Friday morning as the heaviest rainfall of the season began soaking parts of British Columbia's South Coast. The slide struck near the intersection of Coast Meridian Road and David Avenue, sending debris across the roadway and damaging a hydro pole. BC Hydro crews were on scene working to restore power, but the utility warned that some outages could extend into the evening.

The slide came as Environment Canada issued rainfall warnings for much of the region, with forecasters calling for 50 to 80 millimeters of rain across Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, and the Sea-to-Sky corridor through Saturday. The agency said the atmospheric river event could produce localized flooding in low-lying areas and warned drivers to watch for pooling water on roads.

Flood watches have been issued for the North Shore Mountains, Howe Sound, and the Sunshine Coast, where swollen rivers and streams are expected to reach or exceed bank levels by Saturday morning. The River Forecast Centre said the combination of heavy rain and melting snow at higher elevations could push waterways to near-bank levels in the Squamish and Lillooet river watersheds.

In West Vancouver, emergency crews responded to reports of minor flooding on Marine Drive near Horseshoe Bay, where storm drains struggled to keep up with the downpour. The District of North Vancouver issued a statement urging residents to clear catch basins near their homes and avoids driving through standing water.

The storm is the most significant rainfall event on the South Coast since November, when an atmospheric river caused widespread flooding across the Fraser Valley and forced evacuations in Merritt and Princeton. While this system is not expected to reach those levels, officials are urging caution, particularly in areas with steep terrain where heavy rain could trigger additional landslides.

As a mudslide knocks out power and the heaviest rainfall of the season soaks B.C.'s South Coast, The Silicon Review examines how communities are bracing for the latest atmospheric river and what this weather pattern signals about the growing frequency of extreme precipitation events in the region.