BC Hydro crews rebuilding parts of electrical grid in race to restore power
7,000 customers on Vancouver Island, Southern Gulf Islands were without power on Boxing Day morning
Last week's windstorm caused so much damage on some of B.C.'s Southern Gulf Islands that crews must rebuild parts of the electrical distribution system, according to BC Hydro.
More than 900 workers, including crews from as far away as Alberta and the East Coast, were in the field on Boxing Day, the utility said Wednesday morning.
Upwards of 700,000 customers lost power after Thursday's storm, and by Boxing Day, the lights were still off in about 7,000 homes on Vancouver Island and in the Southern Gulf Islands.
BC Hydro says everyone on Vancouver Island should have power by Thursday, but the extensive damage on the Gulf Islands means the work could take until New Year's Eve.
VIDEO - footage from the ground on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SaltSpringIsland?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SaltSpringIsland</a> as <a href="https://twitter.com/MainroadSIsland?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MainroadSIsland</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/bchydro?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BCHydro</a> crews worked to clear <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BCStorm?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BCStorm</a> debris yesterday. <a href="https://t.co/J7446oXlxn">pic.twitter.com/J7446oXlxn</a>
—@TranBCLast week's windstorm was the worst BC Hydro has seen in two decades. Winds gusting up to 100 km/h tore through southern B.C., toppling trees and snapping power lines.
For a complete list of outages in B.C., click here.