B.C.'s Ministry of Transportation says a stretch of Highway 1 in the eastern Fraser Valley will remain closed until Saturday after a series of mudslides earlier in the week.
The muck and debris is creating delays for both drivers and rail traffic.
The slides came down early Thursday in several locations on the Trans-Canada about 120 kilometres east of Vancouver.
"It's a fairly long stretch of the highway and I understand there were five separate points where there was a mudslide on that road,'' said Fraser Valley Regional District spokeswoman Jennifer Kinneman.
According to the Ministry of Highways, in some locations debris is five metres deep. (B.C. Ministry of Transportation)
Kinneman said the nearby Popkum Fire Department responded to the first calls for help because some drivers and passengers in vehicles were stranded by debris or power lines that had come down.
Three people had to be rescued, but an RCMP news release said there were no injuries reported.
Late Thursday, the ministry said geotechnical engineers had completed their review of the area and crews with heavy equipment were beginning to clear away large amounts of debris covering the highway.
"Crews will be focused on clearing the westbound lanes first to re-open the highway and establish a counterflow traffic movement on the west side of the highway,'' the statement said.
UPDATE - #BCHwy1 CLOSED westbound at #HopeBC and CLOSED eastbound at #BCHwy9.
WB DETOUR: #BCHwy7 from #HopeBC to #BCHwy11.
EB DETOUR: #BCHwy11 to #BCHwy7.
Next update at 10:00 AM. Expect major delays. #VancouverBC #ChilliwackBChttps://t.co/VaoSONQdT2https://t.co/1TBdZpD3ZH
—
@DriveBC
While the ministry estimates the westbound lanes will be clear by around noon on Friday, DriveBC said the eastbound portion of the highway likely won't be open until Saturday afternoon.
The slide has also impacted CN Railway traffic that runs beside the highway and while some trains are still moving, there have been delays.
A CN spokeswoman said rail crews were on the scene clearing debris from the tracks and are expecting to work through the night.
A worker from the Ministry of Transportation surveys the damage after a series of mudslides on Highway 1 on Thursday. (Transportation BC)
A detour is available via Highways 7 and 9 through Agassiz and the lines were long on the route on Thursday afternoon.
Environment Canada lifted a rainfall warning on Thursday for eastern sections of the Fraser Valley that had been deluged with rain over the past several days.
Crews have been working around the clock to clear the highway. (B.C. Ministry of Transportation/Instagram)
