Highway 18 near Lake Cowichan reopens after mudslide

Highway 18 near Lake Cowichan reopens after mudslide
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A detour around Highway 18 due to a mudslide.

A detour around Highway 18 due to a mudslide.

Highway 18 near Lake Cowichan has reopened after a mudslide forced its closure Thursday afternoon.

At around 2:30 p.m., Mainroad said the highway was closed in both directions due to the mudslide six kilometres east of Lake Cowichan. There was a detour in place on Cowichan Lake Road but the highway reopened just before 4:30 p.m.

Drive BC is also warning drivers about one instance of flooding due to the heavy rain.

One kilometre north of Port Renfrew, Pacific Marine Road is closed in both directions due to flooding between Fairy Road and Fairy Lake. A detour is in effect.

Earlier Thursday, the Dashwood Fire Department posted on social media that three inches of water was covering the road in the 5100-block of Highway 19A.

The fire department also has video of the high water levels as seen from the Little Qualicum River Bridge on Highway 19A

East Vancouver Island, Greater Victoria, west Vancouver Island and inland Vancouver Island are all under a rainfall warning as a Pacific frontal system that stalled over the south coast drifts south. Rain is beginning to ease over central parts of Vancouver Island, like Tofino and Port Alberni, but will remain heavy over southern areas. Rain is expected to continue tonight.

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