Mabel Lk. on hold for Telus

Photo: Contributed - Vernon Search and Rescue

About 120 Telus customers are still without a landline after power poles were knocked down late last week.

Update -- 2:30p.m.

Telus now says they have begun work on the telephone lines and hope to have service returned sometime on Tuesday, May 6.

The road leading from Enderby to Mabel Lake has been partially reopened, following a massive landslide last Friday morning that shut out the small community from the outside world.

Power was restored by BC Hydro on Saturday evening, but there is still no word on when landline telephone service will be working.

According to Shawn Hall with Telus, their customers lost contact after the slide pulled down four poles used by both BC Hydro and the phone company.

While Hydro was able to rig their poles with power over the weekend, Hall says they still haven’t been given the go ahead to begin working on the telephone problem.

“We’ve had crews standing by on the sight to begin repairs as soon as possible. Since then, we’ve not yet been able to gain access to the site,” says Hall, who adds these crews have been there since Friday.

“Ministry of Transportation and Highways has not yet declared the area safe for us to get in and do our work.

“As soon as that happens we’re going to be in there and begin repairs immediately.”

Hall says about 120 land line customers have been affected by the slide.