Sections of Coquihalla washed away

The stretch of the Coquihalla Highway between Merritt and Hope may remain closed for a while, as photos from the scene show large portions of the highway washed away in Sunday’s mudslides.

Paula Cousins, from the Ministry of Transportation addressed the evaluation work underway by crews along the highway.

“Highway 5 remains closed. The corridor has received over 230mm of rain since Saturday evening, damage assessments are ongoing,” stated Cousins.

“Through an air assessment we’ve seen lots of washouts and debris flow in that area,” added Janelle Staite, Ministry of Transportation.

There is currently no timeline for the reopening of the highway.