BELLINGHAM, Washington. The Washington State Department of Transportation is monitoring a section of I-5 in Bellingham, where a landslide stopped traffic on Sunday.

Remedial work is underway, but there are obstacles as the rain continues to pour.

Black plastic wrap covers the hill to keep it as dry as possible. Here crews estimate about 2,000 cubic yards of debris spilled off the hillside and onto the northbound lanes of the highway.

“Landslides are certainly something we’re familiar with in Western Washington, and that’s why our crews do so much work to try to prevent them throughout the year,” explained WSDOT spokesman RB McKeon.

Several vehicles were caught in the mess, but fortunately, the Washington State Patrol confirmed no one was injured. It took about 10 hours to clear the highway.

Bellingham staff told KOMO News they inspected and verified that all ditches and channels in the area near the slide are working properly and diverting stormwater from the slope.

The city determined it was a perfect storm of events, including record-breaking rain, that led to chaos.

“The wind blew some debris — I think it was carpet — into the channel, so it got significantly blocked and the water couldn’t drain properly,” McKeon added.

KOMO meteorologist George Waldenberger said as we move into the rainy season, landslides could be even more common toward spring after months of wet weather.

“It’s not just rain that falls on the side of the mountain, but it can penetrate deep into the mountain and that can also help trigger new landslides,” Waldenberger said.

WSDOT geotechnical crews have been out all week to make sure the slope remains stable. They will continue that inspection as more showers are expected in the coming days, McKeon confirmed.

The wrap is temporary until the city develops a more permanent solution.

That area near the interstate is not prone to landslides, and WSDOT clarifies that the agency does not expect it to be an area of ​​concern. They add that their regular maintenance of the vegetation is of great help in keeping the belts healthy.