Mudslide, accidents snarl traffic on B.C. highway

Wednesday, November 18, 2015, 8:28 AM - A B.C. highway has seen its share of accidents and closures this week due to days of active weather, including heavy snow and strong winds throughout the area.

As much of 10 cm of mud spilled onto the southbound lanes of the Coquihalla highway late Tuesday afternoon.

The slide was located about 10 km south of the Great Bear Snowshed. According to VSA Highway Maintenance, traffic continued to get through the area, albeit slowly.

Emergency crews were dispatched to the scene.

Just a day before, a tractor trailer crashed on the same highway, spilling sodium hydroxide into the nearby Coldwater River. The Coquihalla Highway was closed in both directions on Monday following the accident. Partial closures continued on Tuesday as crews cleaned up the scene.

The Interior Health Authority (IHA) and Ministry of Environment are monitoring the situation and the initial findings are that the risk to human health from this spill is low. Officials said that speed and icy road conditions were contributing factors to the crash.

Car accidents contributed to road closures and slow-moving travel on a number of B.C. mountain roads amid heavy snow and icy, slick conditions.

Tuesday had been a day of active weather across British Columbia, with steady rain, snow and winds impacting different parts of the province.

Several weather-related power outages were recorded in the Vancouver area on Monday and Tuesday after strong winds downed several trees, damaging power lines.

At one point, around 70,000 customers were without electricity in the province.

At least one truck was blown over east of the Fraser Valley, while Race Rock recorded a peak wind gust of 115 kilometres per hour. The winds were strong enough to force BC Ferries to cancel some sailings Tuesday evening.

Wind warnings, special weather statements and snowfall warnings are in place for various locations province-wide, with the rain and winds more an issue for coastal regions and heavy snow in the interior and at higher elevations.

"Vancouver will see up to 50 mm of rain by the end of the day Tuesday, parts of Vancouver Island will likely see closer to 80 mm," Weather Network meteorologist Kelly Sonnenburg says.

For snowfall-warned areas, up to 20 cm of snow could fall through Tuesday with even higher amounts on the mountain peaks. 

Snow coated roadways in higher elevations, prompting officials to urge motorists to exercise caution.

Whistler Mountain could pick up 30 to 40 cm of snow through Wednesday. Avalanche danger ratings are listed as considerable or high for parts of the Rockies.

After the system has moved on, below-seasonal temperatures beckon. Freezing levels and temperatures will take a particularly rapid dive Wednesday, as an upper level trough pulls cold Arctic air into the region.

--With files from Leeanna McLean.

Source: Merritt Herald

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