Section of California's Big Sur Highway Washed Into Ocean by Winter Storm

Crews were assessing California’s Highway 1 near Big Sur on January 29, where a portion of the roadway had been washed out by a winter storm a day earlier.

The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office shared drone footage of the dramatic scene, which officers said was in an area called Rat Creek, about 45 miles south of Carmel.

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) in Monterey said “inclement weather, debris flow, flooding, and slides” had crumbled the scenic route.

The sheriff’s office wrote on Facebook that Big Sur businesses north of the road closure were “still open and accessible,” but that travel through Big Sur from Southern California was not possible.

“There are no side roads over the mountains once you past the Carmel area. If you are coming from the south you cannot travel to Northern California,” the post said. Credit: Monterey County Sheriff’s Office via Storyful