The aftermath of two crashes on Vancouver Island is still being dealt with Thursday morning, after traffic was closed for two hours on the Malahat and large swaths of Ucluelet still do not have power.
On the Malahat, around 4:15 a.m., Shawnigan Lake RCMP were called to the Malahat near Shawnigan Lake Road for a single vehicle into a pole.
The driver of the vehicle was trapped inside the vehicle and the highway was shut down to allow the crews to work. It was re-opened around 7:20 a.m. but there is still expected to be congestion due to traffic built up during the closure.
An RCMP spokesperson says there is not yet information on injuries to the driver.
✅CLEAR- #BCHwy1 #Malahat The vehicle incident at Shawnigan Lake Rd is now clear. Expect delays due to congestion. #VanIsle
— DriveBC (@DriveBC) January 11, 2024
In Ucluelet, 2,338 BC Hydro customers are without power after a driver crashed into a hydro pole around 10 p.m. The RCMP spokesperson says there were no injuries and the file is still under investigation.
BC Hydro’s power outage list says the power is not expected to be restored until 2 p.m.
While Ucluelet is not covered by the current arctic outflow advisory issued by Environment Canada, the forecast shows the area has some cold weather with temperatures expected to reach a high of 3°C on Thursday.
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Laura Brougham
