MARBLEMOUNT, Wash., Aug. 13 (UPI) -- Heavy thunderstorms caused a series of landslides in North Cascades National Park in Washington state that trapped hikers and buried roads, officials said.
The landslides began late Saturday and continued into Sunday. A culvert that crosses a road about a mile before the start of a popular hiking path in the park was washed out, trapping 65 hikers and their vehicles. Parks workers filled the culvert with several truckloads of gravel and the hikers, who were airlifted food and water while stranded last weekend, were able to drive over the makeshift road to safety.
The rain also triggered at least six landslides, the worst of which buried Highway 20 under 25 feet of rocks and dirt, The Seattle Times reported.
With water and earth still tumbling down the steep terrain, engineers had yet to survey the area and offer an estimate on how long it would take to reopen the road.
No injuries were reported as a result of the landslides, police said.
