BC Hydro crews continue to repair damaged power lines and restore service to areas affected by Tuesday night’s windstorm.
This morning the utility reported about 90,000 customers on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands, and about 5,000 in the Lower Mainland and on the Sunshine Coast were still without power.
The hardest hit areas are currently Nanaimo, Duncan, Cobble Hill, and Ladysmith.
In total, BC Hydro says more than 272,000 customers were impacted, but service has now been restored to more than two-thirds.
Strong winds are expected to continue in some areas, particularly on Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast, with further outages are expected.
BC Hydro says drought-damaged trees and branches fell during the windstorm causing significant damage.
Crews are busy replacing power lines, poles and other damaged equipment, but debris on some roads is causing acess challenges in some areas.
BC Hydro warns that a downed power line is an emergency and urge people to call 911 and stay at least 10 metres back while crews work with first responders to make the area safe.
North Island College closed its campuses and centres this morning, cancelling all classes, including digital.
Some school districts on Vancouver Island were forced to close schools due to storm damage and electrical outages.
District 85, the North Island School District, posted on social media that severe weather conditions, power outages, and dangerous road conditions, forced the closure of all SD85 schools and offices.
SD72 in Campbell River reported the Cortes Island and Sayward schools were closed and some bus routes were cancelled.
In the Comox Valley, Ecole Puntledge Park Elementary was closed.
The Nanaimo-Ladysmith Public School District closed all schools in Ladysmith and Cedar, including North Oyster Elementary and Qwam Qwum Stuwixwulh Community School.
Other school shut for the day were Gabriola Elementary, McGirr Elementary, Cilaire Elementary, Ecole Hammond Bay, Seaview Elementary.
Schools in the Cowichan Valley School District are open, but parents were warned to expect school bus delays due to road conditions, and reported the West Shawnigan Lake Road closure caused lengthy delays for buses in that area.
Highway 4 remains closed from 2 kilometres east of Port Alberni to 9 kilometres west of Qualicum Beach because of debris on the road.
