People living in Tofino and Ucluelet were virtually cut off from the rest of Vancouver Island for more than 24 hours due to a washout on Highway 4.

The portion of the highway near Kennedy Lake, about five kilometres east of Ucluelet Junction, was shut down on Friday.

It reopened to single-lane alternating traffic on Saturday around 10:30 p.m.

According to the province, the erosion began earlier in the week and traffic was reduced to one lane. 

However the sinkhole expanded, closing down the highway completely. 

It was believed to be more than nine metres deep.

Tofino's mayor said the road closure inconvenienced people in the area, particularly tourists who have either extended their stay or cancelled their trips.

There's no word on a timeline for a permanent fix and Geotechnical engineers are still working to determine the cause of the landslide.

With files from The Canadian Press