Image Credit: Twitter / Kamil Karamali

By Amy Judd / Global BC

Atmospheric River

Reopening of Coquihalla Highway could take ‘weeks or months’ due to flood damage

Nov 16, 2021 | 1:16 PM

MERRITT, B.C. — Several major highways remained closed Tuesday morning, after a storm moved through southern B.C. Sunday and Monday causing traffic confusion across the province.

Many of the routes in and out of the Lower Mainland remain cut off.

The Coquihalla Highway, one of B.C.’s main highways connecting the Lower Mainland and the Interior, suffered catastrophic damage.

The southbound lanes between Larson Hill and Juliet have been washed into the river, provincial officials say.

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“In some cases, it can be hours, or a day or two to remove debris,” Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said Tuesday morning about reopening highways.

“But in some cases, like the Coquihalla, it could be several weeks or months. We won’t know that until the experts do the work that needs to be done and they’re doing it right now.”