Afternoon News Update for May 11 2020

🗺 North Saanich Marina-Open Street Map / via Open Street Maps © OpenStreetMap contributors

NANAIMO—One person is dead and two others are in hospital as a result of an explosion at a marina near Victoria on Sunday afternoon. RCMP say a fire on board a boat spread to the fuel dock at the North Saanich Marina, causing the explosion. Corporal Chris Manseau says two other boats were damaged. He says an RCMP dive team is at the site to examine and recover the sunken boat, where the fire started. Another team of explosion specialists and the North Saanich Fire Department are trying to determine the cause.

It's only Monday, but BC Ferries is already reminding potential customers to stay at home this coming long weekend. The ferry corporation says many communities, including those on the Southern Gulf Islands, have issued advisories to travellers notifying them of limited supplies, healthcare equipment and resources. In order to maintain safe physical distancing, BC Ferries has cut in half, the number of passengers per sailing. And, it’s allowing travellers to remain in their vehicles during the voyage. An important change involves people travelling on the Southern Gulf Islands to Vancouver route. BC Ferries is asking all vehicles and all passengers to make reservations. Those sailings are 100 per cent reservable. Only customers with bookings and correctly identified passenger numbers will be assured they will get on the sailing. Masks are not mandatory, but they are being encouraged. Passengers will be asked to confirm whether they have read signage from Transport Canada that asks four questions about their travel history and health. Those showing symptoms of the virus will be prevented from sailing. There will be no food or retail services on board, including no vending machines.

We will bring you the latest COVID 19 numbers on our next news update at 6 p.m. Meanwhile, British Columbians will have the opportunity to ask the Minister of Health and the Provincial Health Officer questions at a virtual town hall meeting tonight. The broadcast begins at 7:15 p.m. on the government's Facebook Page. Some questions will be taken during the live broadcast, but you can also submit questions in advance at www.gov.bc.ca/covid19townhalls.

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Lisa Cordasco

Senior Reporter and News Director — Lisa is responsible for creating the station's first morning news current affairs show on CHLY. She is also deeply involved in training and mentoring student and citizen journalists who volunteer their time at the station. Before joining CHLY, Lisa spent 35 years in various roles at CBC Radio, from host to reporter. Her passion for journalism and radio has led her to Nanaimo, where she intends to provide CHLY listeners with news they can use, in an alternative radio environment. Her other not-so-secret passion is costuming for any occasion.

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