Fall wind storm cuts power to thousands of BC Hydro customers

Over 120,000 homes and businesses on the Lower Mainland, Sunshine Coast, and Vancouver Island woke up Saturday morning without power as cleanup continues from a wind storm Friday night.

In an update on its website on Saturday morning, BC Hydro says there are 283 outages affecting nearly 105,000 customers on the Lower Mainland and Sunshine Coast. On Vancouver Island, there are 122 outages affecting just under 25,000 customers.

On Friday night, the storm cut power to nearly 200,000 customers across the province, with many late-night drivers in the Lower Mainland being forced to swerve around downed trees and power lines on their way home.

“We have limbs of trees, branches, leaves, blowing all directions,” one caller told CityNews. “It is almost like a wind tunnel.”

BC Hydro says “the hardest hit areas are Surrey, Victoria, Nanaimo, Qualicum, and Parksville.”

The utility says it has been tracking the storm, and crews are working to restore power.

“Crews will work throughout the night and into the day tomorrow until all customers are restored,” BC Hydro said Friday.

“Stay steady, and keep space between vehicles, because the vehicle in front of you may have a problem. Be safe and hunker down, and if you still have power, make hot chocolate,” Carl Huggins, a driver in the area said.

A wind warning was issued Friday evening, covering all of Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, and Howe Sound. Environment Canada warns wind gusts up to 90 km/h are possible into Saturday morning. Thunderstorms are also a possibility.

BC Hydro also cautions that a downed power line is an emergency, and to stay a safe distance away.

“Never touch or try and move a downed, damaged or low-hanging power line. Be sure to stay back at least 10 metres (the length of a city bus) and report it to 911. Never touch or try to move a downed line.”

CityNews’ own Riley Phillips says his drive was “hectic.”

“With leaves all over the road…there’s like a car up onto a median, there are branches all over the road, I had to swerve out of the way, just a hectic drive,” he said.

BC Hydro says the latest outage reports can be found here.

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