Flood-hit Canada province braces for heavy rain, three bodies found

Erosion from a dyke is seen on a field after rainstorms lashed the western Canadian province of British Columbia triggering landslides and floods, shutting highways, in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada November 19, 2021. REUTERS/Jennifer Gauthier

ABBOTSFORD, British Columbia (Reuters) - Searchers located three bodies swept away by landslides in British Columbia, officials said on Saturday, after record rainfall that paralyzed parts of the province, leading to food and fuel shortages.

Canada's westernmost province declared a state of emergency after a phenomenon known as an "atmospheric river" brought a month's worth of rain in two days. The rainfall washed out roads and railways, cutting off Vancouver and the lower mainland region from the rest of the country, and blocking access to some towns entirely.