Highway north of Pemberton, B.C. reopens after landslide

Update: Highway 99 between Pemberton and Lillooet reopened in both directions around 6 p.m. Tuesday. The original story follows below. 

A landslide shut down a large stretch of highway north of Pemberton, B.C., Monday night.

Images from social media show a car stuck in the mud on Highway 99 just north of Duffey Lake.

According to DriveBC, the highway is closed between Rancheree Road and Seton Lake Road – a nearly 83-kilometre stretch between Pemberton and Lillooet. No detours are available.

In a statement Tuesday, the Ministry of Transportation said heavy rain caused two mudslides, estimated at between 400 and 600 cubic metres each. No injuries have been reported.

“An aerial geotechnical assessment is taking place early this afternoon to determine if it is safe for crews to begin clearing the road without risk of further slide activity,” the ministry said, adding that heavy equipment is poised to begin clearing the debris once it is deemed safe to do so.

The highway is set to remain closed until at least Wednesday morning, with the next update scheduled for 11 a.m.

Environment and Climate Change Canada issued a severe thunderstorm watch for the Lillooet area on Monday afternoon, saying conditions were "favourable for the development of dangerous thunderstorms" capable of producing damaging wind gusts, hail and heavy rain.

This is not the first time a landslide has closed this stretch of Highway 99 in recent years.

During the atmospheric rivers that struck the province in November 2021, at least four people died in a mudslide that ripped through the area.