A mighty tempest swept across the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island, leaving upwards of 95,000 BC Hydro customers grappling with darkness as violent winds and torrential rain wreaked havoc on power lines and grids. Forest debris was hurled onto power lines under the punishing force of rustling winds, causing outages that left tens of thousands without electricity overnight on Tuesday.
BC Hydro responded to the challenge with crews labouring tirelessly, shouldering the nocturnal veil to mend damaged equipment and relight the darkest corners of the region. Despite the daunting circumstances, their aim was clear: to restore power to the areas crippled most severely by the storm.
As dawn unfurled on Wednesday, power had yet to dawn on over 9,000 homes in Metro Vancouver and the Sunshine Coast. Additionally, Vancouver Island saw an excess of 17,000 customers lingering in the shadow of the power outage.
Among the brunt bearers of this destructive event were the communities of Duncan, Ladysmith, Maple Ridge, and North Vancouver where power outages predominantly loomed.
A glimpse of hope surfaced as BC Hydro conveyed their relentless efforts in an operational bulletin, stating, “Work will continue till every last customer regains power.” BC Hydro, acknowledging the disruption’s inconvenience, expressed their gratitude to the customers holding fort amidst the storm’s aftermath and patiently awaiting power reclamation.
They reassure, “BC Hydro recognizes the turmoil caused by the power disruptions and extends a heartfelt thank you to our valued customers for their patience while our dedicated crews strive to rectify the damages and restore power.”