The silence following a natural disaster often lingers longer than the chaos itself. Near Lillooet, British Columbia, that silence has settled heavily after a deadly mudslide triggered by days of intense rainfall. What began with fragile hope has now turned to mourning, as authorities confirm multiple lives have been lost.

The RCMP announced that the bodies of three men have been recovered from the debris, while a fourth man remains missing. The slide tore through steep, unstable terrain, leaving behind thick mud, loose rock, and a constantly shifting landscape that has complicated rescue efforts.

Search crews first recovered one body on Wednesday, followed by two more on Thursday. B.C. Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe acknowledged the findings in a statement, emphasizing the extreme danger faced by responders. Recovery teams were forced to work slowly and carefully, often without heavy equipment, due to the risk of further slope failures.

Efforts to locate the fourth missing man were suspended Friday as conditions worsened. Officials cited rain-soaked soil, unstable hillsides, and the threat of additional slides as reasons for halting the search. Authorities will reassess the site when it becomes safe to do so.

Earlier in the week, the body of a woman was recovered from the same area, marking the first confirmed fatality tied to the storm system. Her death underscored the deadly consequences of the severe weather that has battered southern British Columbia.

As communities grieve, the disaster has reignited concerns about extreme weather and land instability. For residents near Lillooet, the losses are deeply personal, serving as a sobering reminder of nature’s power and the growing risks faced by vulnerable regions across the province.