By Canadian Press

Hydro says lights back on for 220K customers after windstorm hits southern B.C.

Jan 14, 2021 | 9:42 AM

VANCOUVER — Power has been mostly restored in southern British Columbia affected by this week’s powerful windstorm.

An update from BC Hydro says lights are back on for 220,000 customers affected Tuesday and Wednesday on Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, Lower Mainland and the southern Interior.

The Crown utility says electricity is flowing again for 97 per cent of its customers and should be restored to the remainder by the end of the day.

The utility says crews are travelling by barge to Gambier and Keats islands in Howe Sound to restore power there and its contractors are co-ordinating with FortisBC to handle remaining outages in the southern Interior.

Hydro’s website shows about 3,000 customers were still without power early today, although the number was dropping quickly.

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Environment Canada has posted wind warnings for Haida Gwaii, the central coast and northern Vancouver Island as another storm looms.

The weather office says gusts of up to 100 km/h are forecast for those regions throughout the day before easing and moving into the southern Interior by evening. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 14, 2021.

The Canadian Press