Power outages in N. Ok

Photo: Kate Bouey

The heavy winds that whipped through the area earlier today left thousands of people without power.

BC Hydro crews are scrambling as there are reports of power outages throughout the North Okanagan.

The heavy winds that whipped through the area earlier Tuesday left thousands of people without power.

Hydro's website showed 2,879 customers without power in an area affecting Armstrong, Spallumcheen, Vernon and Coldstream that was west of Jackpine Road and north of Commonage Road. 

As well, almost 2,000 other customers lost power in Armstrong/Spallumcheen, south of Deep Creek Road and north of Macdonald Road. 

In Coldstream,  another 854 customers were without electricity along Duremeadow South Road, east of Highway 6. Downed lines were reported in that area.

“Damaging winds have caused multiple outages to customers in the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley, Sunshine Coast, Vancouver Island and Interior....Crews have been dispatched to all areas to restore power quickly and safely. Exact restoration times will not be available until full damage assessments are complete,” read a statement on the BC Hydro website. 

In the Okanagan-Kootenay area, more than 18,000 people were without power, including more than 3,500 in Lake Country, 4,800 in the Armstrong area, almost 2,000 in Lumby and almost 1,500 in Vernon.

The Thompson-Shuswap region was reporting 13,650 without power.