2 residents killed in landslide, grief in BC village


Barbara and David Enns were residents of the village of Lions Bay for decades until they died in a landslide last weekend, the town's mayor said.

David's body was found late on December 14, a day after their house was destroyed. But Barbara's remains were not found until Dec. 21, according to Squamish RCMP.

Mayor Ken Berry said residents of the small community were devastated.

Aerial view of a highway with mud and debris on one side, with a landslide clearly visible on the slope.
The debris blocked the busy highway for several hours. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

“It's an absolutely profound loss for the family and the community,” he said.

Search teams, made up of professionals from multiple agencies and search dogs, spent a week searching for Barbara's body, Berry said.

“I'm grateful we can get some closure before Christmas,” he said.

Landslides temporarily closed the Sea to Sky Highway over the weekend.

The village of Lions Bay, with a population of about 1,400, is about 25 minutes north of Vancouver.

The couple had been residents for about 40 to 50 years, the mayor said, and were part of a walking and hiking group.

“(Their) group was out and together this morning, and it was very emotional for members of our community,” Berry said.

Both bodies have now been recovered from the mud, meaning a total of three people have been confirmed dead from the powerful storm that hit BC's south coast on December 14. A third person fell from a tree branch in Surrey, B.C.

As the search for Barbara's remnants continues, Environment Canada has warned of more powerful storms for the south coast in the coming week, including a very strong storm on Christmas Day.



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