The heavy rainfall that’s drenched Metro Vancouver this week is being blamed for a deadly accident Tuesday morning.
Mounties said a 35-year-old Abbotsford man lost control of his truck on a wet road in Pitt Meadows and flipped into a water-filled ditch.
“The water in the ditch is at least seven or eight feet deep,” Cpl. Steve Martin told CTV News. “The vehicle was completely submerged and had to be pulled out with a tow truck.”
The driver, who is believed to have been on his way to work, was dead when police arrived.
It’s unclear whether he died on impact or drowned in the truck, but the RCMP said slippery roads are a likely factor in the crash.
The deluge of rain has also triggered a warning on the North Shore, where now-raging rivers have left culverts nearly full and many trails washed out.
North Shore Rescue, which responded to a record 29 calls last month, urged hikers to be cautious.
“The rivers are in flood,” said Mike Danks, rescue team leader. “We need people to make sure they’re not dressed for summer anymore and be prepared for fall conditions.”
The upside of the rainfall is that they’ve done some good for Metro Vancouver’s depleted reservoirs.
The region said reservoir levels were recorded at 60 per cent Monday, up from 55 per cent at the last reading on Aug. 23.
With a report from CTV Vancouver’s Scott Hurst
