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Mudslides close highway near Canada-US border
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Mudslides close highway near Canada-US border

A massive mudslide closed the highway south of the Canada-U.S. border in Bellingham, Washington, for about 10 hours on Sunday.

The Washington State Department of Transportation announced the closure of I-5 near the Iowa Street exit at 5:45 a.m., saying emergency crews were called to the scene, all northbound lanes were closed and southbound traffic was also affected.

The highway reopened just before 3 p.m.

Earlier in the day, officials said walls and barriers were damaged and a geotechnical assessment was required.

WSDOT shared photos of the damage on social media, which showed a semi-truck stuck in mud.

“It will take some time to clear everything and make any necessary repairs. We have a lot of heavy machinery and personnel on site working to clear debris,” an update from the agency said around 10:30 a.m.

“Crews estimate approximately 2,000 cubic yards of debris spilled onto the lanes of I-5.”

A detour was in place, but WSDOT reported traffic was backed up for three miles, or about five kilometers. Motorists have been advised to use alternative routes or expect significant delays.