Dempster Highway closed near Eagle Plains due to washout

The Dempster Highway is closed because of a washout at Rock Creek, just north of Eagle Plains, Yukon.

Highways communications spokesperson Jennifer Gehmair could not say how long it will remain closed.

"This morning the Dempster Highway at Rock Creek washed out due to heavy rain in the area. We do have crews out there assessing the extent of the damage and so far it has been determined that we will need to replace the culvert. But with heavy rain expected over the next couple of days, it's still too early to determine the duration of the road closure," she said.

Gehmair said travellers can get the latest information on the Yukon Highways and Public works site.

Ferry services near Fort McPherson and Tsiigehtchic were closed on Tuesday. They opened briefly Wednesday, but have since closed as a storm is hammering the area with high winds, and there is a lot of debris in the water.

Travellers in the area are stranded for now.

Steven Stewart, from England, is one of the tourists stranded at Eagle Plains.

"We camped in the middle of nowhere last night. We came into this place this morning and there was big sign that said ‘road closed’, so we're going to stay here for a couple of days to see if it clears," she said.

Stewart hopes to make his way to Inuvik for the Great Northern Arts Festival. 

In the meantime, he's spending his time swapping stories with a French and German couple who are also stuck.