Thursday’s windstorm was one of the worst that BC has faced in years, causing power outages for over 100,000 people on Vancouver Island, and claiming the life of one Duncan woman.
At around 11:30 a.m. Thursday morning, North Cowichan / Duncan RCMP responded to a call wherein a tree fell on an occupied tent near Boys Road and the Trans Canada Highway.
The tent was located in a wooded area, and was occupied by five people at the time. After the tree fell, one woman was found dead, and two men sustained serious injuries.
One of the men was airlifted and the other was transported to hospital by ambulance.
North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP and the BC Coroners Service are still investigating the incident.
The tree’s collapse is believed to be a result of the high winds.
Meanwhile, as of 3:30 p.m. Friday, the windstorm has still left approximately 73,946 on Vancouver Island without power.
BC Hydro employees are working around the clock to return electricity to those who are affected, but the energy company warns that difficult areas could potentially be without power for days.
“All available crews will be working until the remaining customers are restored,” says BC Hydro in their outage updates.
“Due to the extent of the damage, many customers will be without power throughout the day and for some customers it could be a couple of days. We appreciate your patience and will continue to provide updates as they become available.”
Additional crews are being brought in from parts of the province to assist with restoration efforts as severe damage remains. Due to the extent of the damage, many customers will be without power throughout today & for some customers it could be through the weekend. #BCStorm
— BC Hydro (@bchydro) December 21, 2018
