Flooding from the heavy rain on Jan. 3 led to a rescue effort by the Chemainus and Crofton fire departments after a report of people stuck in their vehicle due to flooding at Pinson’s Corner, near the Chemainus and Crofton roads intersection.
North Cowichan’s fire rescue boat was taken to the scene.
When the crews arrived, the vehicle’s occupants had already gotten out and were no longer on the scene.
As of noon on Jan. 4, Pinson’s Corner, near Westholme Road, remains closed due to flooding, with traffic detouring from Herd Road to Osborne Bay Road for traffic in and out of Crofton.
Westholme Road was closed past the Halalt reserve on Jan. 3, with traffic detoured at Mount Sicker Road.
RELATED STORY: MASSIVE FLOODING CLOSES WESTHOLME ROAD
North Cowichan’s Philip Street has reopened, and Canada Avenue has water over two parts of the street, near the Co-Op gas station and near the RCMP detachment, but is still open.
Chris Cowley, a spokesman with Mainroad Contracting, said on the morning of Jan. 4 that Shawnigan Mill Bay Road is flooded between Deloume Road and Cameron Taggart Road.
Traffic was being rerouted to south bound on Cameron Taggart Road and north bound on Shawnigan Cobble Hill Road, but the road is now open to single-lane traffic.
“We have flaggers there to direct traffic,” he said.
“The whole road should be reopened soon. The flooding there was caused by an overwhelmed culvert.”
Cowley said Highway 18 was only open for eastbound traffic due to weather conditions on Jan. 3, but was fully open by noon on Jan. 4.
He said the highway was not fully flooded, but a mudslide into a roadside ditch raised concerns about the stability of the entire bank, so a geo-technician had to be brought in to test it.
RELATED STORY: MUDSLIDE CLOSES HIGHWAY 18 FOR WESTBOUND TRAFFIC
“All the other areas we’re responsible for are in working order,” Cowley said.
“We have spent a lot of time clearing culverts and catchments and all seem to be working well, despite the weather.”
robert.barron@cowichanvalleycitizen.com
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