More than 280,000 British Columbians lost power Saturday as high winds lashed the South Coast, though most had it restored by early evening.
In an operational update at 5:15 p.m., BC Hydro said it had restored power to 170,000 customers who lost it, or about 60 per cent of the total.
"Due to the extensive damage, there will be some customers without power overnight," BC Hydro said. "All available crews will work into the night and throughout the day tomorrow to restore power and repair damaged infrastructure."
Of the remaining 110,000 customers without power, the "vast majority" were located on the Lower Mainland and the Sunshine Coast, the utility said.
As of 5:15 p.m., there were 57,000 customers without power in Surrey, 13,000 in Burnaby and 7,000 in Port Coquitlam, according to BC Hydro.
"More than 250 BC Hydro crews and contractor crews have been working throughout the day, and additional resources have been brought in from unaffected regions to provide additional support," the utility said.
"While crews have made good progress replacing power lines, poles and other electrical equipment damaged by vegetation, they have encountered challenges in some areas that have slowed progress. These include access challenges due to the heavy debris on some roads and limited ferry service in some areas, and sustained strong winds in some areas that are making it too dangerous for crews to begin work."
Earlier in the day, the company noted that a multi-year drought had weakened vegetation across the province, making it more susceptible to wind.
“As a result, many dead and damaged trees and branches have fallen, and are making contact BC Hydro’s electrical equipment,” the company wrote in an update Saturday morning.
BC Hydro said crews would work through the day and into the night to repair the damage, and reminded residents to call 911 if they see a downed power line and stay at least 10 metres away.
Downed trees caused road closures, including on the Stanley Park causeway, and a tree fell on a car at Knight Street and 32nd Avenue in Vancouver.
Stanley Park was also closed to visitors due to hazardous trees.
“Many of the park's trees are vulnerable to failure from the hemlock looper outbreak. Thank you for your understanding and patience,” the Vancouver Park Board wrote on social media.
In North Vancouver and West Vancouver, North Shore Emergency Management urged residents whose homes were damaged by the storm and "deemed uninhabitable" to call 778-338-6302 and leave a message to receive more information and support.
The agency also opened up a reception centre for travellers stranded after a landslide closed the Sea to Sky Highway. The road was not expected to reopen until midnight, according to authorities.
- Read more: Landslide closes B.C.'s Sea to Sky Highway
BC Hydro said the winds brought down trees and damaged “multiple structures” and toppled power lines in Tofino and Ucluelet. The utility estimated customers in that area will get power back around 4 p.m. Saturday “due to the extensive damage and remote location.”
Environment Canada issued wind warnings across the South Coast, including Metro Vancouver, the Sunshine Coast, the Gulf Islands, Greater Victoria, and eastern and western Vancouver Island.
The forecaster said wind gusts up to 100 km/h are expected through Saturday morning before easing later in the afternoon.
“Damage to buildings, such as to roof shingles and windows, may occur. Loose objects may be tossed by the wind and cause injury or damage. High winds may result in power outages and fallen tree branches,” the advisory reads.
“Motorists, especially in high profile vehicles, may expect hazardous driving conditions on highways subject to strong cross winds.”
The federal weather agency also warned of coastal flooding along the west coast of Vancouver Island and Metro Vancouver’s Boundary Bay due to high tides accompanied by large waves.
Cancelled ferries
Due to high winds at sea, BC Ferries cancelled a number of sailings between the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and the Sunshine Coast.
Between Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay, sailings were called off from 7 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. On the Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay route, service was cancelled from 6:15 a.m. until 3:20 p.m.
More affected ferry schedules can be found on BC Ferries’ service notices webpage.
“We know you have important places to be. We are currently monitoring the weather conditions with the goal of getting you underway as soon as it’s safe to do so. If conditions do not improve, additional sailings may need to be cancelled and we will let you know if that happens,” BC Ferries wrote in a notice.
