Thousands of people were left without power in Surrey and White Rock Monday morning (Nov. 4), after strong winds and heavy rain caused several power outages throughout the Lower Mainland.
BC Hydro said about 100,000 customers in the Lower Mainland, Sunshine Coast, Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands were without power by midday Monday, with the hardest hit areas including Surrey, White Rock, Victoria and Sechelt.
By 2 p.m., power had been restored to much of Surrey and White Rock, with small pockets remaining without, although BC Hydro posted a reminder on X after an errant patio furniture cover wreaked havoc for nearly 14,000 customers because of the wind.
After Environment Canada issued a special weather statement Sunday evening, drivers were urged to take caution on their commutes as well, due to the heavy rain, potential for pooling water and reduced visibility.
More than 15 power outages that included Surrey, South Surrey and White Rock, spanning from the Surrey-Langley border to the White Rock-Surrey border, stretching even to the U.S. border, were listed atone point, with many more throughout Metro Vancouver, Langley, the valley, Sechelt and Vancouver Island.
City Hall in White Rock lost power around 9 a.m., but city services are operating normally as they have a generator, the city's manager of communications and government relations Robyn Barra confirmed via email.
In a statement, BC Hydro said crews are receiving reports of downed power lines, and reminded people that a downed power line is an emergency, and to call 911 and stay at least 10 metres back if one is observed.
BC Hydro has been carefully planning for this storm and has all available BC Hydro crews and contractor crews responding, the statement noted.
After a multi-year drought, vegetation has been weakened across the province, making it more susceptible to wind. As a result, many dead and damaged tress and branches have fallen, causing them to come into contact with BC Hydro’s electrical equipment.
Crews are busy repairing damaged power lines, poles and other equipment, the hydro company explained.
A wind warning is still in effect for parts of Surrey and Langley, with those areas and others expected to experience strong southeasterly winds throughout the morning, followed by strong west to northwest winds this afternoon.
Residents are asked to help by clearing storm drains of leaves and debris.
BC Hydro appreciates its customers’ patience, it said, as crews continue to work hard to restore power as quickly and safely as possible. As repair work continues, BC Hydro will provide updated estimates for power restoration as they become available at bchydro.com/outages
What to do in event of a power outage
If you have internet service and a mobile device, check BC Hydro's Power Outage Map for power outage information. If your power outage isn’t listed, call 1-800-BCHYDRO (1-800-224-9376) or *HYDRO (*49376) on your mobile or report online. Never call 911 for power outage information.
– sources: Environment Canada and City of Surrey
