Police ID woman missing in mudslide near Cache Creek

RCMP identified 67-year-old Valerie Morris as the woman who is still missing, and possibly trapped in a vehicle after a mudslide on Highway 99 Saturday.

RCMP confirm they are searching for 67-year old Valerie Morris, who may be trapped in a vehicle

Karin Larsen CBC News Posted: Aug 13, 2018 4:09 PM EDT | Last Updated: August 14, 2018

Police are still looking for 57-year-old Valerie Morris who was in a vehicle when it was hit by a mudslide near Cache Creek on Saturday. (Ashcroft RCMP)

Police are still searching for a woman whois missing and possibly trapped in a car hit by a mudslide near Cache Creek almost threedays ago.

In a statement, RCMPsaid 67-year-oldValerie Morris is still unaccounted for after a slide flowed onto Highway 99 and swept the car she was in off the road.

DriveBC photo of crews working on the Highway 99 mudslide near Cache Creek. (DriveBC)

Ashcroft RCMPwere alerted to the slide near the Upper Hat Creek Road junction at 5 p.m. PT Saturday.

According to RCMP, Morris's and her husband were travelling in a group of six vehicles en route to Kamloops from Vancouver.

RCMPsay Morris's husband had pulled over to the side of the road to put up the top on the couple's 1968 Morgan convertible and was outside the vehicle when the mudslide struck.

Morris and the car wereswept over an embankment.

Highway 97 open to single lane traffic near Cache Creek

Morris's husband suffered minor injuries from the slide, RCMPsay. Both he and Morris were from Sechelt.

Witnesses sought

Police have released a description ofMorris and are asking the public to notify them if she is seen.

Police say Valerie Morris and her husband were in a 1968 Morgan convertible when a mudslide swept over their vehicle. (Ashcroft RCMP)

She is described as:

Caucasian.
Five feet twoinches tall.
113 pounds.
Auburn hair with hazel eyes.

Police are also asking for any witnesses to the incidentor anyone withdashcamof the vehicle before or after the slideto contact AshcroftRCMP.

First came the fires, then came the mud: Clinton residents facing new threat

Search hampered

"The search effort continues, but there's some significant water flowing though that area that is hampering some of the search effort," said Shoihet.

"We are continuing with the help of police dog services, and search and rescue is expected to get into that area in the coming days."

South Cariboo mudslides cleanup continues. #BCHwy99 remains closed at Hat Creek Corner. #BCHwy1 and #BCHwy97 are open. Check major event updates with @DriveBC https://t.co/glQKUwQcpm pic.twitter.com/ihCUDeJSmJ
—@TranBC

According to DriveBC, Highway 99 remains closed in both directions with no detour available.

Mudslides hit highways in B.C. Southern Interior

A number of mudslides hit the Cache Creek area Saturday after heavy rain moved through the region.

With files from Liam Britten

Corrections

In an earlier version of this story, RCMP said Mr. Morris escaped from the car when it was hit by the mudslide. In fact, he was outside the car when the slide hit, police later confirmed. They also say Ms. Morris is 67, not 57 as police originally reported and that the group was travelling to Kamloops from Vancouver, not from Kamloops to Vancouver.
Aug 14, 2018 12:33 PM PT

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Police ID woman missing in mudslide near Cache Creek

RCMP confirm they are searching for 67-year old Valerie Morris, who may be trapped in a vehicle

Witnesses sought

Search hampered

Corrections

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