Heavy rainfall has caused a mudslide on Salt Spring Island and highway flooding throughout southern Vancouver Island Monday morning.
North End Road on Salt Spring Island is closed between residential addresses 1254 and 1281 due to a mudslide reported by Emcon highway services at 6 a.m. Nov. 15. RCMP say they have not been called to the scene.
In Greater Victoria, flooding on Sooke Road between Gillespie and Impala roads has closed that section of highway. East Sooke Road at Beecher Bay Road is also impassable.
Heading up the Malahat, both the south and northbound lanes have been closed at West Shore Parkway due to road and bank instability. Emcon says crews are on site and working to remove the centre median barrier to allow southbound lanes to drain. They will introduce single-lane alternating traffic when possible.
Further up the highway near Mill Bay, Briarwood Drive has also been washed out. There, Emcon says crews are looking at implementing a temporary bridge.
RELATED: Island Highway closed in Cowichan Valley due to flooding
Shortly before 8 a.m., Emcon issued an advisory asking people not to travel if they don’t have to.
The incidents come as the majority of Vancouver Island waits out rainfall and wind warnings.
In Greater Victoria, Environment Canada says 100 to 180 millimetres of rain is expected by noon Monday. The region is also experiencing west winds of 70 km/h, gusting to 90 km/h.
Environment Canada warns that heavy rainfall can cause flash floods and pooling on roads and that high winds can break tree limbs and cause power outages.
Rain is expected to ease after noon Monday, while the wind will lessen by the evening.
The heavy rainfall started Sunday and caused problems throughout the afternoon and overnight. Shortly before 8 p.m. Sunday, the Saanich Police Department issued a warning asking motorists to avoid travelling if possible after responding to a number of crashes throughout the evening. Both northbound lanes on the Trans-Canada Highway were closed between the McKenzie overpass and the Helmcken Road exit and reopened shortly before 9 p.m.
READ ALSO: Princeton B.C. devastated by flood
READ ALSO: 3 separate slides close Coquihalla, Highway 1 and 7
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