Major interstate north of Seattle reopens after landslide
Northbound I-5 was closed in Bellingham for about eight hours on Sunday after a landslide created 2,000 cubic yards of debris on the highway. WDOT warned of significant rainfall in the area and possible flooding on local roads.
Interstate 5 north of Seattle closed for hours after landslide
More than 2 inches of rain in about 6 hours created conditions for a landslide in Bellingham, Washington on Sunday, shutting down part of Interstate 5 for most of the day. FOX 13 Seattle Chief Meteorologist Brian MacMillan explains the area will continue to see showers on Monday.
BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Crews worked most of the day to clear debris on Interstate 5 Sunday after a landslide left a widespread path of debris, closing part of the major highway south of the Washington-Canadian border.
Washington Department of Transportation (WDOT) officials said all lanes of northbound I-5 north of Iowa Street in Bellingham were closed around 5:45 a.m. PT after the landslide. The weather event unfolded about 1 hour north of Seattle leaving an estimated 2,000 cubic yards of debris across I-5.
A photo shared by the state agency showed a tractor-trailer in the middle of the debris field, along with trees and mud strewn across the highway. WDOT said a tow truck successfully removed the semi-truck stuck in the mud and debris.
![A semi-truck stuck in the debris from a landslide on I-5 near Bellingham, Washington on Oct. 27, 2024.]()
Image 1 of 4A semi-truck stuck in the debris from a landslide on I-5 near Bellingham, Washington on Oct. 27, 2024. (WDOT)
![Landslide debris on Interstate 5 near Bellingham, Washington on Oct. 27, 2024.]()
Image 2 of 4Landslide debris on Interstate 5 near Bellingham, Washington on Oct. 27, 2024. (WDOT)
![Debris from a landslide on Interstate 5 near Bellingham, Washington on Oct. 27, 2024.]()
Image 3 of 4Debris from a landslide on Interstate 5 near Bellingham, Washington on Oct. 27, 2024. (WDOT)
![A semi-truck stuck in the debris from a landslide on I-5 near Bellingham, Washington on Oct. 27, 2024.]()
Image 4 of 4A semi-truck stuck in the debris from a landslide on I-5 near Bellingham, Washington on Oct. 27, 2024. (WDOT)
At 2:55 p.m., WDOT said all lanes were back open after DOT crews and geotechnical engineers cleared 2,000 cubic yards of debris with help from the city of Bellingham, Washington State Patrol and local first responders.
Earlier in the day WDOT warned of significant rainfall and possible flooding on local roads.
Landslides are common in mountainous areas and can be triggered by rainfall.
According to the National Weather Service in Seattle, Bellingham Airport recorded more than 2 inches of rain over two hours on Sunday morning, marking the town's second-wettest October day on record.