Calgary area recovers from April snowstorm

The lights are back on and roads are open again Friday morning after a snowstorm swept into Calgary, causing multi-car pileups and power outages that darkened the airport for several hours.

Traffic is moving again in both directions on Highway 2 north of Calgary, police said. It was closed Thursday night after a crash involving 54 vehicles near the Olds overpass, about 90 kilometres north of Calgary. There were no serious injuries.

About 70 people involved in the crash were taken to Olds College where a reception centre was set up.

In a separate incident, a tanker truck carrying propane overturned near the Highway 72 overpass, close to Crossfield. No propane leaked, but securing the load and transferring it kept the northbound and southbound lanes of Highway 2 closed until early Friday, RCMP said.

Power was temporarily lost at the Calgary International Airport after the storm's gusts of up to 90 km/h blew down a power line at McCall Way and 78th Avenue N.E.

Electricity was restored at the airport by 9 p.m. Thursday. Some flights were delayed as the airport had to rely on generators until power came back on.

"It's not often we have emergency backup power, and what happens is that backup power comes on, but it does illuminate only certain areas and emergency equipment," said airport spokeswoman Jody Moseley. 

"So it does appear to be darker than it actually is."

Several areas in the city experienced flickering lights and power outages throughout the evening.