UPDATE: July 15
FortisBC crews had most power restored by 9 p.m. Monday, for customers in the Southern Interior, including Princeton, Tulameen, along Princeton-Summerland Road between Jura and Bankei, and along Highway 33 south of Carmi. These power outages began late this morning due to wind-related damage to the electricity system.
According to FortisBC, strong winds, wildfires and other extreme conditions could cause power outages at any time and customers are encouraged to always be prepared to be and stay safe in the event you see a downed power pole.
- It's important to remain prepared and know what to do before, during and after an outage to .
- ItÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™s always a good idea to for outages by having an emergency kit with items like flashlights, a battery operated radio and fresh water on hand in an area that is easily accessible.
- Make sure to stay at least 10 metres (33 feet or the length of a school bus) away from a downed power line.
- If you are involved in an accident where poles or wires are involved, it is important to remain calm, stay in your vehicle, dial 9-1-1 and wait until FortisBC can turn off and isolate the power.
More than 400 FortisBC customers are without power along Highway 33 between Carmi and Westbridge.
The power went out at about 1:30 p.m. and the cause of the outage is unknown.
FortisBC is reporting the estimated time of power being restored is 8 p.m.
A wind warning was issued for the South Okanagan earlier in the day, with forecasted wind gusts of between 70 and 80 km/hr.
