By The Canadian Press

Strong winds cause multiple power blackouts across BC

May 23, 2017 | 10:40 AM

KAMLOOPS — BC Hydro was reporting close to 70,000 homes and businesses without electricity late Tuesday due to strong winds throughout the province.

The utility says most of the outages, affecting more than 28,000 customers, were in the Thompson-Shuswap areas with a further 15,000 customers in the dark across the Lower Mainland and Sunshine Coast.

Hydro crews were also repairing downed power lines on Vancouver Island, the Central Interior and the Okanagan-Kooteney regions.

BC Hydro said it expects outages to increase until the winds abate and will 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., saying westerly winds of 70-90 kilometres per hour were likely before easing overnight.

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