Northern California highway dissolves after heavy rains

Recent heavy rains are being blamed for the collapse of this 50-foot section of Highway 3 in Trinity County Monday morning near Weaverville. Recent heavy rains are being blamed for the collapse of this 50-foot section of Highway 3 in Trinity County Monday morning near Weaverville. Image 1 of / 28 Caption Close Northern California highway dissolves after heavy rains 1 / 28 Back to Gallery

Large sections of Highway 3 in Trinity County gave way late Monday night after days of battering rains hit the region, officials said.

Two portions of the highway, which is a route between Weaverville and Yreka and sees around 1,000 cars a day, disintegrated around 11:30 p.m. Monday, said Denise Yergenson, a spokeswoman for Caltrans. The two sections measure about 100 yards, officials said.

Crews were dispatched to the area to check out reports of shifting and cracks in the two-lane road and were conducting one-way traffic control in the area at the time of the collapse, she said. No injuries were reported.

Around five miles of Highway 3 remained closed Tuesday afternoon as engineers and environmentalists surveyed the damage.

There was no estimate on when the road would be repaired and reopened.

Hamed Aleaziz is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: haleaziz@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @haleaziz