British Columbia (Rajeev Sharma): A powerful wind and rain system swept across British Columbia this week, cutting electricity to tens of thousands of homes, shutting down schools, and creating hazardous travel conditions across large parts of the province.
According to B.C. Hydro, outages peaked early Wednesday, affecting roughly 120,000 customers, largely concentrated in the Lower Mainland and Sunshine Coast regions. By mid-afternoon, crews had reduced that figure to about 30,000 as repair work continued throughout the day.
Utility officials said the damage was worsened by weakened trees, many of which were compromised by years of drought and toppled easily under intense wind gusts. Kevin Aquino of B.C. Hydro noted that weather conditions remain unpredictable, adding that crews are working around the clock to safely restore service wherever possible.
Environment Canada issued a special weather statement for much of southern B.C., warning residents of wind gusts reaching between 80 and 100 kilometres per hour. The agency cautioned that the conditions could lead to falling trees, additional outages, and travel disruptions, urging the public to secure loose items and stay well clear of fallen power lines.
The storm also had tragic consequences. In Chilliwack, a woman died after a tree fell on her while she was in a park. The incident occurred as the Fraser Valley continues to cope with the aftermath of recent flooding that prompted evacuations, emergency declarations, and multiple road closures.
Amid ongoing recovery efforts, the City of Abbotsford reported some improvement. Evacuation orders for 11 properties were downgraded to alerts, while evacuation alerts were lifted for 474 properties in the Sumas Prairie area. Despite the progress, several roads in the city remain closed due to flood-related damage.
Officials have also placed the Sumas River region, along with Vancouver Island and the Central Coast, under a high streamflow advisory. While widespread flooding is not expected, residents have been warned of rising water levels and urged to avoid riverbanks and flooded roadways.
Travel conditions remain challenging across the province. A stretch of Highway 3 southeast of Hope has been shut down, and heavy rain has caused water accumulation on several Metro Vancouver highways. In the Fraser Valley, speed limits on portions of Highway 1 have been reduced to improve safety.
Authorities continue to urge residents to stay alert, monitor weather updates, and follow official instructions as unstable weather conditions persist across British Columbia.
