Highway 3 is closed west of Keremeos due to a rockslide.
Image Credit: photo contrbuted
November 06, 2023 - 8:29 AM
A rockslide has shut down Highway 3 near Keremeos last night and two homes have been evacuated.
The slide came down yesterday, Nov. 6, between Hedley-Nickleplate Road and Ashnola Road, according to DriveBC.
The Okanagan-Similkameen Regional District issued an evacuation order for residents at two addresses sandwiched between Highway 3 and the Similkameen River, within hours of the Sunday night slide. The regional district has also imposed a state of local emergency for the rural area roughly halfway between the Village of Keremeos and the community of Hedley.
Fortis BC says the "unstable ground conditions" have caused a power outage affecting 114 customers. A note on the utility's website estimates lights could be back on by 2 p.m.
DriveBC isn't estimating when the highway might reopen and it's proposed detour involves a route through Merritt and West Kelowna, adding more than 300 kilometres to the journey.
DriveBC hasn't said when the highway could be reopened.
Find updates here.
The location of the rockslide and highway closure.
Image Credit: DriveBC
— With files from The Canadian Press.
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