Power back on for almost all customers: BC Hydro

BC Hydro says almost all the customers who lost power during the windstorm that swept across southern British Columbia have had their power restored.

The utility says in a statement that crews have restored power to 99 per cent of the 235,000 customers affected by the windstorm that began on Friday evening.

It says they’ve replaced dozens of spans of power line, as well as power poles and other equipment damaged in the storm.

1:12 Thousands left without power after B.C.’s South Coast storm

BC Hydro expects power to be fully restored by the end of the day, with the “possible exception of small pockets of customers in areas with significant damage.”

Drought-damaged trees more susceptible to high winds and other severe weather came down on power lines during the storm.

At the height of British Columbia’s drought this summer, 29 of the province’s 34 water basins were classified as either a drought level four or five, the highest possible classifications. The province’s drought information portal shows that nine basins are either a level four or five as of Sunday.