UPDATE: 11:35 a.m.
FortisBC has said power in the Big White area has been restored, after a tree that fell into a power line was removed.
The power outage delayed the ski resort’s opening on Wednesday morning, but lifts are up and running.
Currently, there are 19,951 BC Hydro customers still without power as crews continue to work. In Lake Country and Vernon, about 5,739 customers are still without power.
Westside Road between Vernon and Kelowna remains closed. About 45 BC Hydro customers in West Kelowna are in the dark and crews have not been assigned to repair and restore power in the area yet.
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A powerful windstorm in the Interior is bringing power lines down throughout the region, leaving thousands of residents without power.
Environment Canada issued a weather statement saying that gusty winds on Wednesday, June 13 should be expected throughout the morning, easing in the afternoon.
Gusts of 50 to 70 kilometres per hour can be expected.
The winds have knocked down several power lines throughout the region. There are reports of Westside Road between Vernon and Kelowna being closed due to downed power lines, with no power in the area.
In the Okanagan, there are about 11,787 BC Hydro customers without power. The affected areas include Armstrong, Spallumcheen, Coldstream, Vernon, Lake Country, and Peachland.
174 Golden customers have also been reported without power.
From Revelstoke to Salmon Arm, 4,672 BC Hydro customers are without power.
In total, BC Hydro stated there are about 100,000 customers throughout the Southern Interior, the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, and the Gulf Islands without power.
In Kelowna, 2,100 FortisBC customers are without power, including Big White residents, with crews now working on repairing the downed lines.
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