Heavy rains have cut through a key road in southern Labrador, with a washout leaving travellers on separate sides of the Trans-Labrador Highway.

A section of Route 510 — the stretch of the highway that connects Happy Valley-Goose Bay with a string of coastal communities — was effectively severed overnight, disrupting travel across the region.

The break occurred about 18 kilometres south of the Churchill River, near the entrance to the Muskrat Falls site.

"We're just staying here just waiting to see what's going to happen," said Mary Jane Edmonds, who is travelling with three friends to her home in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, ending a journey that started in St. John's.

Heavy rains have cut through a key road in southern Labrador, with a washout leaving travellers on separate sides of the Trans-Labrador Highway. 1:22

Now the four women are at a government depot near Crook's Lake, where they have shelter and Wi-Fi but no remaining food, and not enough gas to travel to buy any or rent a hotel room.

Edmonds, who had accompanied her daughter to St. John's for a medical appointment and decided to catch a ride back with three friends returning from the city, is patiently waiting.

"I thought that I was going to get home faster this way," she said with a laugh. She and her friends will be heading to Port Hope Simpson for the night.

Lake Melville MHA Perry Trimper said motorists will need to wait for repairs. Crews were waiting Monday for water levels to recede so they could safely begin their work.

"The main thing is to be aware, this is going to take a little bit of time," said Trimper.

Mary Jane Edmonds and her three travelling companions were stranded at the Crook's Lake depot after a section of Route 510 washed out due to heavy rains. (Submitted by Mary Jane Edmonds)

The Department of Transportation and Works is warning drivers to avoid that section of Route 510.

"You are not getting through, whether you're carrying goods or you're trying to get back home or trying to get to the island," Trimper said of the washed-out area, which he said is "impassable."

"It is a cutoff right now.'

The transportation link between central and Southern Labrador is literally severed <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbcnl?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cbcnl</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CBCLabrador?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cbclabrador</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nltraffic?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nltraffic</a> <a href="https://t.co/sNpf4TwDHI">pic.twitter.com/sNpf4TwDHI</a> —@JacobBarkerCBC

Close call for one vehicle

The washout happened after about 99 millimetres of rain fell in the area over a 24-hour period, Trimper said.

"It was a substantial amount of water went through there," he said.

Another 50 millimetres or so fell in Cartwright.

There was a close call with one vehicle, Trimper said, as it happened to be passing over the affected area right as the washout happened.

"They managed to escape, but their vehicle went into the break," he said.

Here's my chat with them... <a href="https://t.co/olZkEQYm7k">pic.twitter.com/olZkEQYm7k</a> —@JacobBarkerCBC

Support posts along the highway are hanging in the air, connected by metal railings, after the road beneath washed away.

On the other side of the road, a tree that was washed down the river snagged on the guard rails.

Plans for shipping goods unclear

Government crews were on site Monday morning to assess the damage.

Dion Tee, director of highway operations for the Department of Transportation and Works, told CBC repair work began on the road at about 1 p.m. Monday. Tee said they believe something got stuck in the pipe under the road, which caused it to get backed up.

"We had heavy rains over the last few days and I think that contributed to the blockage and the subsequent damage," he said.

"We'll be looking at installing additional culverts adjacent to the waterway, redirecting water through those culverts so that we can do a further assessment of the arch culvert and complete repairs."

Tee said the department will be making a detour for people to drive on while the repairs are being done, but no timeline has been given.

It remains unclear what the washout will mean for shipping of goods into the region.

Edmonds said a few trucks carrying produce meant for Hopedale are stranded at the depot.

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