UPDATE: B.C. Hydro is working to restore power to customers in the wake of last night's bomb cyclone event. According to a social post, Mora Scott, B.C. Hydro spokesperson, said crews have made progress restoring power, but with strong winds continuing, additional outages may occur.
As of 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 20, more than 16,000 customers in the Nanaimo region are still without power, with the highest concentration (2,902 customers) in the Aulds-Sealand roads-Everest Drive area.
Additional contractors have been called in, said Scott, and they and crews are working diligently, but there is significant debris and and winds are causing safety and access concerns. Due to damage, some customers may remain without power overnight "in the hardest-hit areas."
She thanked customers for their patience.
PREVIOUSLY POSTED: Close to 13,000 customers in the Nanaimo area are in the dark as the region is dealing with the effects of what meteorologists are calling a "bomb cyclone."
Environment Canada issued a wind warning for the area with southeasterly winds of 70 kilometres an hour, gusting to 90 km/h, forecast to last until at least 8 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20.
According to a social media post at 6:13 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 19, B.C. Hydro said 12,809 customers are without power, from Nanaimo River Road, east of Spruston Road in the Cassidy area, to Lantzville. The highest concentration (3,977 customers) are without power in the College Drive-Dockside Way-Mallard Drive-Wall Street area.
On Gabriola Island, over 2,300 customers are without power in the area south of Berry Point Road, east of the ferry terminal at Descanso Bay.
B.C. Hydro advises people turn off electric heaters and appliances in the event of a power outage. Check in on family and friends, especially those who are elderly, it said.
Environment Canada has also issued a weather advisory for the area with elevated ocean water levels with significant wind and waves. "Minor flooding near coastal areas due to waves crashing onshore are expected and likely exceeding highest astronomical tide," it said.
Rain is also forecast and in a press release, City of Nanaimo advises people to clear leaves and debris from basins at storm drains to avoid flooding.
As of 8 p.m. Nov. 19, B.C. Hydro had no estimation for when power will be restored. Windy conditions are hampering power restoration and customers should expect to be without power overnight. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
For information on what to do in a power outage, go to www.bchydro.com/safety-outages/power-outages/during-an-outage.html.
For a complete list of outages, go to www.bchydro.com/power-outages/app/outage-list.html#current-1602896846.
The current weather forecast from Environment Canada can be found at https://weather.gc.ca/en/location/index.html?coords=49.166,-123.939.
