Coquihalla Highway and sections of Hwy 1 closed due to major flood damage

Parts of Highway 1 have been washed away by surging rivers as flooding in southern B.C. caused significant damage to infrastructure Monday, leading to significant closures.

The Trans Canada Highway has been closed in both directions for almost the entire 80 kilometres between Abbotsford and Hope.

Access to the U.S. border crossing at Sumas was also cut off due to flooding along the highway. The Sumas Prairie area of Abbotsford was put on evacuation order Monday evening.

The closures of Highway 1 in the Fraser Valley along with the closure of other highways around the Lower Mainland, mean the region is nearly cut off from the rest of the province.

Highway 1 is also closed between Hope and Spences Bridge. The road was severely damaged by the Thompson River east of Lytton, B.C., with a section of the highway falling into the waters near Tank Hill.

• For a full list of road closures, see the DriveBC website

There are several closures on Highway 1 across southern B.C.

On Vancouver Island, B.C. Ferries operated its Brentwood Bay to Mill Bay ferry overnight to move people trapped on either side of the section of Highway 1 known as the Malahat Highway.

That stretch reopened Tuesday morning to single-lane traffic shortly before 9:30 a.m. but motorists should expect delays as the lane will be alternating in 30-minute intervals.

East of Chilliwack, a series of mudslides has also closed the highway leading into Hope.

It is currently unclear what the impact of the highway closures will have on supplies going in and out of the Lower Mainland. Access to the region by highway has been severely limited since Sunday.

Section of Coquihalla washed away

Highway 1 is one of numerous highways throughout the province affected by floods and landslides. A section of the Coquihalla was also severely damaged on Monday.

Photos taken of the Coquihalla (Highway 5) near Hope, B.C., show the surging Coquihalla River damaging a bridge near Carolin Mine Road.

Helicopters were used in the area Monday to rescue stranded drivers. The road has been closed in both directions between Merritt and Hope since Sunday, with no estimated time of reopening.

The situation is about to be complicated by cooler temperatures arriving overnight, with Environment Canada issuing a snowfall warning on Monday.

WATCH | Part of Highway 5 is washed away near Hope:

Coquihalla Highway severely damaged by cascading river

3 years ago

Duration 5:04

The surging Coquihalla River caused a section of Highway 5 to wash away near the Caroline Mine area close to Hope, B.C.

Up to 20 centimetres of snow is expected, with high winds also in the forecast.