UPDATE: Nasty weather leads to several crashes on Coquihalla Highway

KAMLOOPS – RCMP are warning drivers to not travel on the Coquihalla Highway this afternoon after bad weather caused numerous crashes.

RCMP say members from Kamloops and Logan Lake are responding to multiple crashes on Highway 5, May 29.

Road conditions are extremely poor thanks to rain and hail, according to a RCMP media release, and travel on the Coquihalla Highway is not advised at this time.

Police and ambulance paramedics responded to three separate crashes involving four vehicles near the Inks Lake exit on the highway.

One person was taken to Royal Inland Hospital by air ambulance and several others were taken to by ground ambulance, police say.

RCMP aren’t releasing any details about the injuries other than none of them are life threatening.

Highway 5 was closed for several hours southbound due to a crash in the Great Bear Snowshed between Merritt and Hope. Traffic was backed up all the way to the Zopkios Rest Area near the Coquihalla Summit. The highway was also closed northbound about three kilometres south of the snowshed due to another crash.

No word if anyone was hurt in those crashes.

For the latest highway conditions check the Drive B.C. website.

— This story was updated at 1:12 p.m., Sunday, May 29, 2016 to provide new information from RCMP and B.C. Emergency Health Services.

— This story was updated at 2:38 p.m., Sunday, May 29, 2016 to add new information from RCMP.

— This story was updated at 3:20 p.m., Sunday, May 29, 2016 to say the highway had reopened.

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