In a devastating event that has shaken the community of Lillooet, British Columbia, authorities have confirmed the tragic loss of three men following a catastrophic mudslide.

The discovery comes after days of intensive search and rescue operations led by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) alongside local emergency responders.

The mudslide, driven by relentless rainfall and unstable terrain, has left families and the wider community grappling with grief, fear, and uncertainty.

According to a written statement released on Saturday by B.C. Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe, the first male victim was recovered on Wednesday.

Two additional men were found the following day, compounding the sorrow in the community.

Search efforts for a fourth missing individual continued into Friday; however, the man has not yet been located.

 The ongoing search underscores the challenges posed by treacherous landscapes and the unpredictable nature of mudslides.

This tragedy marks the first confirmed fatalities from the flooding and landslides that have recently swept across southern British Columbia. Earlier in the week, a woman was discovered at the site of the mudslide, highlighting the indiscriminate and sudden nature of such natural disasters. Authorities attribute the disaster to a combination of intense rainfall, saturated soil, and precarious hillsides, all of which created conditions ripe for destruction.