Devastating floods trap 18,000 people in Canada

OTTAWA: Emergency crews in western Canada were still trying to reach some 18,000 people stranded by landslides and struggling to find food among bare grocery store shelves after devastating flooding.

In an emotional address on Friday, the province’s public safety minister, Mike Farnworth, said: “This has been a terrible terrible disaster but I know this: As British Columbians, as Canadians, we stick together. I want to come out of this. I’m going to build a stronger better province and a stronger and better country.”

Appearing to fight back tears, he said: “Canadians are supporting our province that we are one big family and absolutely that to me is something that we all instinctively know it is absolutely just a remarkable feature and facet of our communities, our people, our province and our country.” One person is confirmed dead in a landslide that swept vehicles off a road near the village of Pemberton, but with many others missing — and with searchers still combing through the debris — that number is almost certain to rise. Meanwhile, communities in already-inundated areas braced for more rain next week.