Thousands in B.C. without power amid storm
Posted November 15, 2021 2:38 pm.
Last Updated November 15, 2021 2:39 pm.
More than 46,000 BC Hydro customers are without power in Metro Vancouver with the majority of them in the eastern suburbs and the Fraser Valley.
According to BC Hydro, there are 320 outages across the Lower Mainland and Sunshine Coast as of Monday afternoon.
These vast power outages have been caused by heavy rains, flooding, mudslides and, “high water inflows into [BC Hydro] reservoirs,” which have resulted in several flood alerts.
On Sunday, crews worked overnight to respond to outages caused by severe rainfall which impacted transmission infrastructure in the eastern areas of the Fraser Valley.
Heavy rains, flooding and mudslides have caused outages to thousands in #BC and high water inflows into our reservoirs have resulted in several flood alerts. Here's how we're responding: https://t.co/tExLz5e8e2 #BCStorm pic.twitter.com/2mLViiSmES
— BC Hydro (@bchydro) November 15, 2021
Overnight, more than 5,200 customers in Hope were without power because of transmission line issues. Crews restored power around 1 a.m. Monday, but the power went out again at 7 a.m.
“BC Hydro crews are patrolling transmission lines to identify the cause of the outage, but weather conditions and lack of road access in some areas are challenging their efforts.”
Environment Canada says the worst of the rain will be centred on the central and eastern Fraser Valley, which could see accumulations of up to 230 millimetres before it lets up this afternoon.
Heavy snow is forecast for East Columbia, Kinbasket and Yellowhead regions, while the winter storm warning for the Trans-Canada Highway through Rogers Pass, the Shuswap and West Columbia regions predicts up to 50 centimetres of snow.
– With files from The Canadain Press
