SR-243 Washed Away In Torrential Rains: PHOTOS

FRIDAY UPDATE: SR-243 Update: Access To Idyllwild Limited Due To Storm Damage

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — As the rain pounded down on Thursday across the Southland, one particular Riverside County highway took a beating. A portion of State Route 243, south of Banning, was washed away in the storm.

"SR-243 has washed away just north of Lake Fulmore," the CHP's San Gorgonio Pass office said on Facebook just before noon.

Photos posted above show the damage. When the first picture was taken, officials estimated that the gap was about 40 feet across but that "it is likely much bigger now."

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"Idyllwild is kind of an island right now," CHP Officer Darren Meyer told Patch on Thursday afternoon. "Until it stops raining... it's hard to evaluate [when things will be back open]."

Meyer noted that several hard closures are in effect on Thursday afternoon headed up the mountain. The 243 is closed at the bottom of the hill, near Banning High School. SR-74 is closed at Borco Street in East Hemet. And there's another closure on the 74 in Mountain Center, preventing motorists who are already up that way from getting into Idyllwild.

The rainwaters have compromised a bridge on SR-74, Meyer said.

"The creeks have washed all over the roadway and caused damage," he said.

Two shelters were slated to open at 2 p.m., Meyer said; one at Banning High School in Banning and the other at Hamilton High School in Anza.

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— Images 1, 3 and 4 via the CHP; Image 2 via Caltrans