3,000 cubic metres of rock closes Highway 97 between Summerland and Peachland

It’s been nearly 24 hours since a landslide closed a busy stretch of Highway 97 north of Summerland, B.C., and there’s still no timeline for when it will be cleared.

The Ministry of Transportation said in a statement sent Tuesday afternoon that the closure between Callan Road and Okanagan Lake Provincial Park, north of Summerland, left around 3,000 cubic metres of material on the highway.

“This specific location where the rockfall occurred has had minor rockfalls, historically,” the statement read.

2:06 Highway 97 re-opens to single alternating traffic after second landslide in less than a month

“An aerial geotechnical assessment took place this morning to determine if it is safe for crews to begin clearing the road without risk of further rockfall. Heavy equipment is ready to move in if the aerial assessment determines that it is safe.”

There is no local detour available and currently no estimate of when the highway may reopen. The alternative route is via Highways 97C/5A/3 or Highway 33.

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“Rockfalls are a natural event, but the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure’s Rockwork Program uses a variety of techniques to keep rock and debris off highways,” the ministry said.

The ministry said there were no reports of any injuries from the landslide.

It’s the third landslide in as many months. The other two were further south along the highway.