BC Hydro has crews assessing damage and making repairs as nearly 130,000 BC Hydro customers are without power on Vancouver Island.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a pretty significant event that has hit all of Vancouver Island essentially,B次元官网网址� said Ted Olynyk, a manager of community relations with BC Hydro.

A release sent out by BC Hydro says damage to their equipment is being caused by fallen branches and trees. Strong winds have made damage assessment and repairs difficult but crews are repairing power lines, poles and transformers where it is safe.

B次元官网网址淎ll available resources will work throughout the day and into the evening to safely restore power,B次元官网网址� the release noted.

Nearly 28,000 BC Hydro customers in the Greater Victoria area are without power, according to BC HydroB次元官网网址檚

READ MORE: Wind gusts of 100 km/hr batter Vancouver Island as storm continues

The map shows customers in Sidney, North Saanich, Central Saanich, Saanich, Langford, View Royal, Colwood, Metchosin and the Highlands are affected. It says crews have been assigned to the areas and that the outages are under investigation.

Power was lost in the various areas starting around 11:10 a.m.

Another 4,000 hydro customers in Sooke have been without power due to a tree down across some wires. BC Hydro does not have an expected time for the power to be restored.

Due to the high winds on the south island service is affected in and the . Visit for service alerts.

B次元官网网址� BC Transit (@BCTransit)

According to the BC Hydro website, about 67,430 customers on South Vancouver Island are affected by outages as of 2:25 p.m. Thursday.

Highway management group Mainroad South Island Contracting is also warning of multiple trees down on south Island highways.

A tree down on Highway 17 southbound at Keating Cross Road, created single-lane traffic and was cleared at approximately 3 p.m. Multiple trees are down on Highway 14 causing road closures at Tugwell Bridge and Parkinson Creek. Mainroad also says multiple trees are down on other side roads in Duncan, Mill Bay, East Sooke and the Gulf Islands.

READ MORE: Power outage creates mayhem at mall parkade

B次元官网网址淢ainroad crews are working at full strength with BC Hydro and other agencies to reopen roads as soon as possible,B次元官网网址� the release said. B次元官网网址淢otorists, please exercise caution while driving and use the four-way stop procedure at intersections that have lost their power.B次元官网网址�

The outages come as strong winds up to 100 kilometres per hour and heavy rains hit Vancouver Island on Thursday.

B次元官网网址淭his is very similar to the storm we had in 2006 with the amount of damage weB次元官网网址檙e looking at,B次元官网网址� Olynyk said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a pretty extreme wind event causing some very significant damage to our equipment across Vancouver Island.B次元官网网址�

Olynyk said BC Hydro is reminding customers to call 911 if they see a downed line and to stay 10 metres away from it.

shalu.mehta@goldstreamgazette.com

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