Officials from Newfoundland and Labrador's Transportation and Works department say it could be up to a week before a blocked section of the Trans-Canada Highway will be reopened to traffic.

Crews will need to blast away at a cliff in eastern Newfoundland where a landslide Saturday blocked the highway.

A large amount of rock, mud and other debris fell onto the highway, along a stretch in the area of Northwest Brook, east of Clarenville.

Much of that debris has now been cleared.

Newfoundland and Labrador's Department of Transportation and Works said the decision to blast the scene was made after geotechnical staff "assessed the structural integrity of the rock face" that had given way.

RCMP have been directing traffic to a 3.6-kilometre diversion along local roads, running through the Ivany's Cove area.

Extent of landslide a surprise

Saturday's landslide took Clarenville RCMP Const. Derm Roul by surprise.

"I showed up and I figured it would just be a few rocks across the road that could easily be brushed away by a wingblade," said Roul. "But there were boulders there, a couple of boulders there bigger than pickup trucks. "

Although no one was injured during Saturday's landslide, Roul said one transport truck driver had a close call.

"He had passed by the rock cut when the rocks were actually sliding down and some of them came across the highway," explained Roul. "So he avoided the rock that was on the highway and thus caused his trailer to jacknife."

After some of the cliff is blasted today, officials will reassess the situation to determine if more blasting is needed.

Even though the road could be closed for another week, officials are hoping to be able to open it sooner.

Photo courtesy of Travis Ayres, Sr.