Republished April 06, 2019 - 5:20 PM
Original Publication Date April 06, 2019 - 2:36 PM
VANCOUVER - Electricity has been mostly restored on Vancouver Island after strong winds toppled trees and knocked out power lines, but ferry cancellations mean some customers could be without power overnight.
About 12,000 homes and businesses on the southern part of the island were affected at the peak of the power outage but just under 1,800 customers remain without electricity as BC Hydro crews work to restore power.
However, BC Hydro spokesman Kevin Aquino says about 200 customers on Quadra Island and Cortes Island could be without power for longer because ferry cancellations mean crews may not get to those communities.
He says a non-weather-related issue involving equipment failure had left about 2,300 customers without power in Surrey, but electricity has been restored there.
BC Ferries says wind warnings issued by Environment Canada have resulted in multiple sailing cancellations on seven routes, most of them on Vancouver Island.
Two sailings were also cancelled on the Horseshoe Bay route west of Vancouver for a ferry that travels to the Departure Bay terminal in Nanaimo, on the island.
Note to readers: Aquino is pronounced ah-KEY'-no
News from © The Canadian Press, 2019