Listen to this article
Estimated 3 minutes
The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.
A wind and rain storm has downed power for tens of thousands of people across the province Wednesday and closed schools in numerous regions.
B.C. Hydro says it’s the third major weather-related outage event this week.
At its peak Wednesday morning, about 120,000 customers across B.C. were without service, B.C. Hydro said. By 3 p.m. on Wednesday, that number had reduced to around 30,000, with the majority of the impact in the Lower Mainland and Sunshine Coast.
Without lights, some schools were forced to cancel classes for the day, including all schools in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows as well as some in Langley, Abbotsford, Kootenay-Columbia and Kootenay Lake.
Kevin Aquino with B.C. Hydro says historic drought over the past few years has weakened and damaged trees, making them more susceptible to break during wind storms.
“Unfortunately we are at the helm of mother nature right now,” Aquino told CBC’s The Early Edition Wednesday morning. He said crews are working around the clock to restore power safely.
An uprooted tree is pictured in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighborhood. B.C. Hydro’s Kevin Aquino says drought over the past few years has weakened trees, making them more susceptible to breakage. (Benoît Ferradini/Radio-Canada)
Much of southern B.C. was under a special weather statement from Environment Canada Wednesday morning, with the weather agency warning of strong winds.
Gusts from 80 km/h to 100 km/h were expected in the Lower Mainland.
Environment Canada says winds could lead to tree damage, power outages and travel delays, and recommends people secure loose objects and stay away from fallen power lines.
On Monday, a Chilliwack woman was killed by a falling tree in a local park.
The Fraser Valley is still recovering from flooding that triggered states of local emergency, forced hundreds to evacuate and shut down highways last week.
Parts of Chilliwack remain under flood warning, meaning river levels have exceeded or are expected to imminently exceed river banks, resulting in flooding in nearby areas.
The City of Abbotsford has downgraded the remaining 11 properties on Evacuation Order to Evacuation Alert and has rescinded the existing Evacuation Alerts for 474 properties in Sumas Prairie. pic.twitter.com/whFHfWu8YH
In a stroke of positive news, however, the City of Abbotsford downgraded all remaining evacuation orders and rescinded existing evacuation alerts for just under 500 properties on Wednesday afternoon.
The city says it is closing its emergency reception centre to go along with the downgraded evacuation orders, though it notes a few road closures remain in place due to flood damage.
PHOTOS | The flooding damage in the Fraser Valley:
The Sumas River area and all of Vancouver Island and the Central Coast are under a high streamflow advisory, meaning river levels are rising or expected to rise rapidly, but no major flooding is expected.
The River Forecast Centre recommends people stay clear of river banks and never drive across flooded roads, bridges or river crossings.
It also asks people to keep storm drains clear.
A 60-kilometre stretch of Highway 3 southeast of Hope remains closed.
DriveBC says most highways in Metro Vancouver have water pooling from heavy rain. Highway 1 has reduced speed limits in several parts of the Fraser Valley.
WATCH | Powerful B.C. storm knocks out power, fells trees:
Wind storm knocks out power for thousands across B.C.
A powerful wind storm with gusts reaching 100 km/h caused property damage and knocked out power for thousands across British Columbia. The storm is the latest weather event to hit parts of the province already reeling from heavy rain and flooding that began a week ago.
