BC Hydro says they are working to restore power to thousands across the province after a windstorm caused widespread damage to the electrical system.
According to BC Hydro, around 120,500 customers are without power across the province. The high winds throughout Friday caused branches and trees to break and hit BC Hydro electrical equipment.
The hardest-hit areas are the Southern Interior, Lower Mainland and parts of Vancouver Island, including Parksville, Nanaimo, Qualicum Beach, Courtenay and Campbell River.
A snowstorm in the Peace Region also caused damage and resulted in outages to customers in Dawson Creek, Chetwynd and Smithers.
BC Hydro says crews are working to repair damaged equipment, including power lines, power poles and transformers. All available resources will be working through the evening and overnight.
However, due to the extent of the damage, customers in the hardest areas should be prepared to be without power overnight. This includes customers in Chase, Sicamous, Salmon Arm, Dawson Creek and 100 Mile House.
BC Hydro says it is receiving reports of downed power lines. The public is advised to stay at least 10 metres back from downed lines and call 911 immediately.
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