BC Hydro crews are continuing to restore power to communities on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands following several days of heavy winds and rain.
The utility reported making significant progress Sunday, but said some customers would remain without power overnight as crews worked to repair lines damaged by falling trees.
More than 2,900 Vancouver Island customers were still without electricity late Sunday.
“Crews made significant progress today, including restoring power to the transmission line serving North Island,” a BC Hydro social media update said Sunday evening. “In some locations, challenging access and difficult terrain are affecting restoration efforts. Crews will be continuing to work around the clock but some customers in the Cowichan Valley, as well as parts of Cortes Island, Zeballos, Bamfield, Nitinat and the Parksville area will remain without power overnight.”
No major power outages were reported on the Sunshine Coast as of late Sunday night.
Across B.C., the number of customers without power had dropped sharply from the overnight peak.
“At the height of the storm at 1 a.m., 135,000 customers were without power. As of 7 a.m., that number had dropped to 63,000 as crews continued restoration efforts and responded to new outages caused by ongoing strong winds,” said BC Hydro.
Some Zeballos residents have been allowed to return home following a geotechnical assessment and amendments to evacuation orders issued Friday.
The Strathcona Regional District said evacuation orders remain in place for several properties on Maquinna Avenue and Pandora Crescent because of flooding and landslide risks.
While conditions eased in many areas Sunday, Environment Canada is forecasting more storm systems that could affect Vancouver Island and other parts of the B.C. coast this week.
A special weather statement forecasts significant rainfall and strong winds from Tuesday through Thursday.
“This rainfall event comes on the heels of several low pressure systems that have moved through the region in recent days, already bringing substantial amounts of precipitation to parts of the coast,” Environment Canada said.
Residents are advised to monitor weather alerts and check DriveBC for current road conditions before travelling.
