Two people were injured when part of a cliff collapsed onto Highway 97 in British Columbia, about 6 km north of Summerland, at about 11.30 am local time on Sunday 6 July 2014. The pair, thought to be a couple in their 60s from Alberta, were taken to a local hospital for treatment for non-life-threatening injuries. The incident happened when a 20 m section of cliff collapsed onto the road, apparently driving the couple's SUV into the central reservation.
The scene of the 6 July 2014 British Columbia landslide. Kelowna Daily Courier.
The precise cause of the incident is unclear at this time, however it is understood that a nearby section of the same road was closed by a landslide that covered all four lanes with debris in 2008, which lead to the closure of the road while about 30 000 cubic meters of cliff was removed by blasting. This new incident raises serious questions about the stability of the cliff above the road, an the situation is currently being assessed by geotechnical engineers.
The approximate location of the 6 July 2014 British Columbia Landslide. Google Maps.
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