B.C. Hydro crews have made some progress restoring power to those impacted by Thursday’s storm, however another wind storm may leave more in the dark.
Less than 60,000 customers on the Island are still without power, but B.C. Hydro says the damage is unprecedented with hundreds of trees on power lines in Duncan and roads littered with trees on the Gulf Islands.
The company is calling the storm the worst it has faced in 20 years, and that it has resulted in hundreds of downed trees that have left some road impassable. This means they have not been able to complete a full damage assessment in some of the worse hit areas like Duncan, Nanaimo, Lake Cowichan and the affected Gulf Islands.
Power may be out for some for several more days.
A wind warning has again been issued for parts of the Island advising everyone, other than Inland Vancouver Island, of a strong frontal system that could bring up to 90 km/h winds.
They are expected to ease by Saturday evening.
“Right now we are focused on restoration efforts,” said B.C. Hydro spokesperson Ted Olnyk.
“We know the weather is coming however we are focusing on customers who are still out from that historical event.”
At the peak of the storm, around 600,000 were without power in the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley, Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island.
The windstorm this week was one of the most severe storms B.C. Hydro has experienced in years.
B.C. Hydro adds that The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure is working to clear the roads and highways and that In the first 48 hours they have restored power to nearly 90 per cent of impacted customers.
Nanaimo residents and businesses are also being asked to conserve water as the windstorm and power outages have damaged the city’s water treatment plant delivery system. The city has closed its pools until further notice.
READ MORE: One dead, thousands still without power following windstorm on Vancouver Island
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau even tweeted a thank you to the crews working in the Fraser Valley, the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island.
We’re thinking of everyone in the Fraser Valley, Lower Mainland & Vancouver Island dealing with storm damage today. Please remember to be safe and avoid downed power lines. An enormous thanks to the hardworking crews out there trying to get electricity restored ASAP. #BCStorm
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) December 21, 2018
More than 800 field personnel from B.C. Hydro are working to repair the remaining 1,100 spans of wire, 300 power poles, 550 cross-arms and 170 transformers that were destroyed in the storm
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