Boats are battered by waves at the end of the White Rock Pier that was severely damaged during a windstorm, in White Rock, B.C., on Thursday December 20, 2018. One person who was trapped on the pier had to be rescued by helicopter. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Republished December 20, 2018 - 5:12 PM
Original Publication Date December 20, 2018 - 6:36 AM
VANCOUVER - Trees toppled, power lines downed, flights delayed and ferries were cancelled as a storm system brought strong winds to British Columbia's coast and snow and rain to other parts of the province Thursday.
A person who was stranded on a pier in White Rock, B.C., needed to be rescued by helicopter after part of the structure collapsed in strong winds.
The Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Victoria says on Twitter a helicopter crew successfully hoisted the person to safety.
Parts of southern British Columbia were hit by a powerful wind storm that left thousands of BC Hydro customers without power on Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland and the Sunshine Coast.
BC Hydro said about 330,000 customers didn't have electricity on Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland and on the Sunshine Coast late Thursday afternoon.
Uprooted trees, snapped power lines and debris forced the closure of several streets and highways along the southern coast.
Environment Canada issued a wind warning for the area saying a powerful low pressure system was sweeping into the B.C. coast, bringing winds in the range of 70 to 90 km/h with gusts up to 100 km/h.
The winds also prompted cancellations or delays at BC Ferries for sailings between Nanaimo and Horseshoe Bay, Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay, Tsawwassen to Duke Point and Tsawwassen to the Southern Gulf Islands.
The BC Coroners Service said a person was killed by a falling tree in Duncan on Vancouver Island, although it is unclear if the tree fell because of the strong winds.
Rainfall warnings were posted for Howe Sound, the Fraser Valley and Fraser Canyon, with Environment Canada saying 50 millimetres could drench those regions by Friday.
Snowfall or winter storm warnings were also up for mountain passes in the Interior with Environment Canada advising of rapidly accumulating snow on sections of a number of highways including the Sea-to-Sky, Coquihalla, Highway 3 and Highway 1 between Eagle Pass and Rogers Pass.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2018