Strong winds swept through eastern Ontario and western Quebec on Friday night, causing significant disruptions. Power outages affected tens of thousands of residents as trees and branches fell due to the severe weather conditions.
Power Restoration Efforts Underway
On Saturday, crews worked diligently to restore electricity to impacted communities. According to Kaitlyn Forde, spokesperson for Hydro One, repairs commenced immediately after the storm subsided. “There may be a longer estimated restoration time for those harder-to-reach areas,” Forde noted.
Outages Across Key Areas
- Kingston
- Tweed
- Perth
Forde emphasized that each outage has a specific estimated time for restoration, which may change as crews assess ongoing damage. Safety measures were also outlined, urging residents to maintain a distance of at least 10 meters from downed power lines and report such hazards to the utility company.
Western Quebec Faces Extensive Outages
In western Quebec, about 14,000 residents remained without power on Saturday afternoon. Around 90 teams were deployed across the Outaouais region to expedite restoration efforts. Annie Beaudoin, a spokesperson for Hydro-Québec, reported assistance from teams traveling from as far as Saguenay and the lower St. Lawrence.
“We are committed to restoring power for the majority of residents. Still, some outages may persist into Sunday,” Beaudoin cautioned.
Conclusion
The storm’s impact has left many communities grappling with power outages across eastern Ontario and western Quebec. Utility crews are focused on restoring service safely and efficiently.
