VANCOUVER — BC Hydro was reporting more than 74,000 homes and businesses without electricity late Tuesday due to strong winds throughout the province.
The utility says most of the outages, affecting almost 36,000 customers, were in the Lower Mainland and Sunshine Coast with a further 35,000 customers in the dark in the Thompson-Shuswap areas.
Hydro crews were also repairing downed power lines on Vancouver Island, the Central Interior and the Okanagan-Kooteney regions.
BC Hydro earlier said it expected outages to increase until the winds abate.
The utility said it would not have exact restoration times until full damage assessments are completed.
Environment Canada had issued either wind warnings or special weather statements for much of B.C. late Tuesday, saying westerly winds of 70-90 kilometres per hour were likely before easing overnight.
