200 campers stranded as Squamish forest road washes out

UPDATE | Police estimate close to 350 campers stranded in Squamish Valley

A section of aforest service road near Squamish, B.C., has washed out, leaving around 200 people stranded on the other side.

A spokesperson with B.C.'sMinistry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations says the officereceived a call at 8:00 a.m. PT Sunday morning,advising staff that a section of the Squamish River Forest Service Road was washed out approximately 23 kilometres in at Mud Creek.

Communications director Vivian Thomas said that a number of people who were trying to leave the area Sunday were helped out by ministry staff, local RCMP andstaff from theSquamishFirst Nation.

"Givenit's a quasi-long weekend, most are choosing to stay," Thomas said in a written statement.

The ministry said it hopes the road will be re-opened by late Monday afternoon.

It also said thatthe forest service road has had washouts in that section in the past.

Google Map: Mouth of Mud (Turbid) Creek