Downed trees force temporary closure of Stanley Park following bomb cyclone

The bomb cyclone that battered B.C.’s South Coast overnight downed a number of trees throughout Stanley Park, resulting in restricted access Wednesday.

Images obtained by CTV News show downed trees, branches and debris along Stanley Park Drive, Lagoon Drive, sidewalks and bike paths.

The Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation shut down the park for hours Wednesday morning to make way for cleanup crews, before reopening the green space around noon.

“If you're visiting the seawall, please be cautious due to the high tides and wind,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

Overnight, debris also impacted traffic along the Stanley Park Causeway, prompting a warning from DriveBC for anyone heading between Vancouver and the North Shore using the Lions Gate Bridge.

The busy route was cleared during the Wednesday morning rush hour.

The busy route was cleared during the Wednesday morning rush hour.

The intense storm that landed Tuesday caused chaos across the region, and around 270,000 power outages across Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland overnight. Service had been restored to about two-thirds of those BC Hydro customers by the morning.

More damage is expected on Wednesday, along with potential flooding along coastal areas due to crashing waves.

A weather advisory from Environment and Climate Change Canada cautions that elevated ocean levels and significant winds could results in waves “exceeding highest astronomical tide.”

“Storm surge from gale to storm force southeast winds combined with seasonably high tide will produce elevated water levels for areas near the water across the South Coast,” the agency wrote in a 3:50 a.m. update. “Coastal flooding is possible along exposed shorelines, especially in low-lying areas.”

With files from CTV News Vancouver’s Regan Hasegawa