Large power outage affects thousands on Vancouver Island
Nearly 5,000 BC Hydro customers on Vancouver Island lost power on Friday afternoon.
Most outages had been addressed by 9 p.m., with the exception of a large outage on Hornby Island, where BC Hydro said 1,282 customers would be without power overnight because of ferry cancellations that prevented crews from accessing the island.
The bulk of the afternoon outages were in the Parksville and Courtenay areas, according to a BC Hydro update around 2:30 p.m.
The energy provider said that roughly 2,181 customers lost power in Errington and Coombs, just south of Parksville, around at 2:29 p.m.
Meanwhile, hundreds of people lost power in the Courtenay area on Friday afternoon, as well as on nearby Hornby Island.
According to the BC Hydro website, the Hornby outage was caused by a tree falling down across hydro wires. A repair crew has been assigned to the outage, and BC Hydro said they were expected to arrive on the island Saturday morning around 9 a.m.
Meanwhile, nearly 1,000 BC Hydro customers between Courtenay and Merville were without power Friday afternoon.
Near the southern tip of the island, pockets of outages are being reported by BC Hydro.
Some of the largest outages in the region included an outage in Sidney, where a downed wire knocked out power to 125 customers, and on nearby Pender Island, where approximately 298 people lost power.
In total, 4,991 were without power on Vancouver Island and nearby Gulf Islands as of roughly 3 p.m. Friday. That number had declined to 1,500 by 9 p.m.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.