Major Alaska highway near Anchorage reopens after rockslide

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Officials say a major highway south of Alaska’s largest city has reopened after crews cleared a rockslide that covered traffic lanes with dirt, trees and rock.

State transportation department spokeswoman Shannon McCarthy said Monday there were no reports of injuries following the pre-dawn slide. There was damage to a stretch of guardrail.

The slide forced the temporary closure of the Seward Highway near the community of Indian about 25 miles (40 kilometres) south of Anchorage.

McCarthy says Alaska State Troopers reported the slide at about 5:50 a.m. She says transportation department crews were dispatched to the site from both directions to help speed removal once it was safe for that work to begin.

The Seward Highway is 125 miles (200 kilometres) long and is known for its breathtaking scenery.