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Liputan6.com, British Columbia – Four people were killed and dozens injured in a serious bus crash on a highway in southern British Columbia’s interior on Christmas Eve.

Kelowna RCMP confirmed the deaths in the bus crash through a Sunday, Dec. 25, 2022 news release, saying officers were called to Highway 97C east of Merritt near the leaving Loon Lake around 6 p.m.

“Four people are confirmed dead and several people are injured,” the gendarmes said in their statement. bc.ctvnews.ca, Monday (26/12/2022).

“While the investigation is ongoing, extremely icy road conditions are believed to have caused the rollover.”

Officials said the passenger bus crash prompted a “code orange” response to Canada’s Internal Health Authority.

Code orange is activated after a disaster or mass casualty event.

Interior Health (Regional Health Authority of British Columbia / British Columbia) initially said Saturday evening that 53 patients had been transported to hospitals in Merritt, Kelowna and Penticton.

In an update on Sunday, health authorities said 52 patients had been transferred to four hospitals.

As of 9:30 a.m., eight patients remained at hospitals in Penticton, Kelowna and Kamloops, Interior Health said. Two are in serious condition and two have non-life-threatening injuries.

“Even though the number of patients remaining in hospital is small, this incident has been life changing for everyone involved, from the initial physical injuries to the emotional and spiritual impact of an incident like this,” said the health authority. “Our prayers are with the families and patients, as well as the many first responders at the scene, who have been affected by this tragic incident.”

“Our heartfelt thanks go to the many Homeland Health staff and physicians already at work or who came to the hospital to help treat the large number of patients who needed urgent care.”

According to reports BBCan intercity bus crash in the Canadian province of British Columbia that occurred near the town of Merritt as temperatures plummeted to -3.9 degrees Celsius on Saturday.