Search for those swept away by Ontario floodwaters during storm comes up empty
The search for the bodies of two bodies found in the floodwaters of the St. Clair River ended Sunday when the bodies were identified through dental records, Peel police said.
The bodies of two people were found at a depth of four metres in the St. Clair River at a home on Brackville Court, near Simcoe Street, at about 7 p.m. on Sunday, Peel police said.
The bodies are believed to be those of a man in his 80s and a woman in her 70s.
On Saturday, about 50 people who had lived in the home were evacuated when the water level rose, said police.
Dentists were called in to identify the bodies, because dental records do not always match, said Peel police Det. Sgt. Mark Reid.
Police said the search, set up in early August, lasted more than a week and included a helicopter search and divers.
“It’s almost like a puzzle where we have pieces that are part of the answer, and we just have to put them all together,” Reid said.
The water level in the St. Clair River was at 3.74 metres Sunday afternoon, said Peel County Public Affairs. The highest level the county records for the river is four metres, during the spring thaw.
In addition to the dead, police have received a number of reports of people missing or injured since the flooding began.
Among those missing is a 40-year-old woman from Toronto, who was reported missing Thursday. Police said she was last seen at a home on Sartell Street, just north of Brackville Court.
Police also have reported injuries to two people and four motor vehicles, Reid said, adding all of the cases have been treated as accidents.
“The situation is as catastrophic as it gets — the water is flowing very fast,” Reid said. “It’s very, very dangerous for people.”
Police have not identified the victims of any of the four motor vehicle collisions because of the possibility of identifying bodies through dental records.