Strong winds in Parksville blew branches into power lines on Martindale road knocking out power to area residents.
It was one of close to 50 power outages recorded on Vancouver Island by late Tuesday as Environment Canada warned winds gusting up to 110 kilometres an hour were expected for many parts of the Island.
“We’re cordoning off the area waiting for Hydro to respond,” said Lt. Cam Cruickshank of Parksville Volunteer Fire Department. “We have a wind warning in effect … so we’re not sure what’s going to happen but we’re kind of preparing for everything.”
It seems par for the course so far in 2021.
On Saturday, Martindale Road in Parksville was impassable because of flooding.
Today’s it’s not so much what’s on the ground, as what’s in the air, that’s cause for concern.
Powerful winds started pummelling central Vancouver Island mid-morning snapping some power poles like twigs.
Soon the power outages started mounting.
“We have about 20,000 customers out on the Island,” said Ted Olynyk with BC Hydro. “The bulk of those are on the north end of the Island. Campbell River, Courtenay area, the Gulf Islands up there, Quadra and Cortes and the storm is still coming down.”
BC Hydro says the multiple intense storms this week have led to the power outages Tuesday.
“The ground is so saturated, [it] doesn’t take much with these winds to bring trees over on top of lines,” said Olynyk.
But some were soaking in the precipitation.
On Mount Washington, it was snowing heavily. A welcome addition for snow enthusiasts.
And at Columbia Beach, north of Parksville, windsurfers were not letting all the wind go to waste.
“Oh yeah. It’s really fun. It’s a real challenge at times too,” said Dave Murray, one of the windsurfers.
And those watching are enjoying the show
“It’s exhilarating really,” said Karen Albert. “You can sit in the house and you’re kind of cozy and you don’t really want to go outside but when you get out here you feel alive and invigorated.”
BC Hydro says it hopes to have power restored for all of its customers tonight but the Gulf Islands may be in the dark until Wednesday.
Kendall Hanson
