BC Hydro said at 10 p.m. on Monday that its crews continue to make good progress restoring power to customers impacted by the windstorm. About 253,000 customers have been restored – or about 87 per cent of the more than 290,000 customers impacted.

As of 10 p.m., approximately 39,000 customers are without power. Around 80 per cent of these customers are in the Lower Mainland and on the Sunshine Coast, with the other 20 per cent on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. The hardest hit areas are currently Victoria, North Vancouver and Sechelt.

Drought-damaged trees and branches came down on electrical equipment during the windstorm causing significant damage. More than 250 BC Hydro and contractor crew members have been working since early Monday morning to restore power, replacing power lines, poles and other electrical equipment. While progress has been steady, they have encountered challenges, such as roads blocked with vegetation and poor weather conditions that prevented helicopter patrol in some areas.

Due to the extensive damage, some customers will be without power overnight. Crews will continue their work throughout the night and into tomorrow.

BC Hydro thanked its customers for their patience, and said it will continue to provide updated estimates for power restoration as they become available at bchydro.com/outages.