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UPDATED: Mudslide closes Highway 1 near Salmon Arm

The Trans-Canada Highway is expected to re-open east of Salmon Arm on Tuesday afternoon, according to DriveBC.
Canoe highway Landslide
Work crews clear a mudslide on the Trans-Canada Highway east of Salmon Arm.

UPDATE April 18 at 12 p.m.

The Trans-Canada Highway is expected to re-open east of Salmon Arm on Tuesday afternoon, according to DriveBC.

The highway has been closed five kilometres east of Canoe as work crews clear away debris from a mudslide that occurred the evening prior.

Salmon Arm RCMP Staff Sgt. Scott West said the slide happened on Monday at approximately 8:35 p.m. in the 1500 block of Highway 1.

"The highway was blocked and a vehicle had to be towed off the top of the slide," said West, adding no one was injured by the slide and there were no vehicles trapped in it.

Motorists are being rerouted to highways 97A and 97B.

When asked for details about the slide, a Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure media spokesperson said they were unable to comment because the provincial election period has begun.

The spokesperson referred to the DriveBC website for further updates.

A geotechnical engineer was reportedly called to the scene of the slide early Tuesday morning, before work began on clearing the debris from the road.

It was raining heavily at the time of the mudslide.

UPDATE April 18 at 9 a.m.

Highway 1 remains closed in both directions five kilometres east of Canoe after a mudslide Monday evening.

An estimated time of opening is still unavailable as an assessment in progress.

Another update from highway crews is expected at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

Reports online indicate it was raining heavily in the area at the time of the slide. Several cars can seen in the photo above on either side of the mudslide.

Motorists are being encouraged to take Highway 97A and Highway 97B as an alternative route.

Original story:

A mudslide has shutdown Highway 1 between Salmon Arm and Sicamous.

The slide at about 8:30 p.m. shut the highway in both directions about eight kilometres east of the Canoe mill.

Emergency crews are on scene and a local tow company is helping remove stuck vehicles.

Reports online indicate it was raining heavily in the area at the time of the slide. Several cars can seen in the photo above on either side of the mudslide.

DriveBC reports highway crews are en route. There is no estimated time of reopening.

Motorists are being encouraged to take Highway 97A and Highway 97B as an alternative route.

The Shuswap has been plagued by heavy rains, a mudslide last week took out two homes on the other side of Shuswap Lake. In March, a smaller slide closed Highway 97A.

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