Portage la Prairie was one of the hardest-hit areas in Manitoba’s record-setting storm, with the entire city spending days without power.
It’s no surprise then, that generators are flying off Portage shelves as residents try to get back up and running, or plan for future storms.
Kirk Gyeselink owns Avenue Honda Polaris in Portage and told 680 CJOB he can’t keep enough in stock.
“We sold out instantly on Saturday morning and we’ve gotten three more loads that were all spoken for instantly,” he said.
“I’m currently working with Honda Canada to get an emergency load here.
Gyeselink said he understands customers’ frustration, as his own family has been in the dark since Thursday.
“We’ve got a wood stove, so we’re a lot more fortunate than some folks that don’t have heat or power, but still, it’s a challenge.
“Every room you walk into, you still hit the light, and of course, there is none. So it’s just a totally different experience.”
More than 13,000 homes and businesses were still without power across the province, as of 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, including more than 270 still in the dark in the city of Portage la Prairie, and many more in the outlying communities.
Manitoba Hydro has set up a camp for hundreds of workers at Southport, just south of Portage la Prairie, as restorations continue, which is expected to take at least another week.
Comments