While Environment Canada forecasted wind gusts of up to 100 km/h for Thursday as a storm whipped BC’s South Coast, they ended up being much worse.
Now, North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP have confirmed that a woman on Vancouver Island was killed after the high winds knocked a tree over onto her tent while she was inside of it.
According to police, the incident took place at approximately 11:25 am, in a wooded area near Boys Road and the Trans Canada Highway.
Officers were called to the area and and upon their arrival, found the tent to be occupied by a total of five people.
The woman was found dead, while two other occupants, both male, sustained injuries.
One of them was airlifted and the other was transported to hospital for treatment.
Police said at this point, the file remains under investigation by the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP and the BC Coroners Service.
At the peak of the wind speeds around 1 pm, gusts of 121 km/h were recorded at Sandheads, northwest of Tsawwassen. The weather forced BC Ferries to cancel all major sailings at the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal between the Mainland and Vancouver Island.
Abbotsford Airport also recorded wind speeds over 100 km/h, clocking in at 101 km/h.
Things were worse on Vancouver Island, where the weather centre on Solander Island reached 133 km/h, and Sartine Island hit 115 km/h.
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