British Columbia has seen an alarming surge in storms and extreme weather events in recent years, leading to a huge increase in power outages, according to a new report from BC Hydro.
The findings highlight some of the effects climate change is having on the province, which has faced an onslaught of increasingly frequent and severe storms that damaged BC Hydro's electrical system and led to service disruptions for customers.
"The number of storm events that BC Hydro has responded to has actually tripled within the last five years," spokesperson Kevin Aquino said.
From 2013 to 2017, the number of customers impacted by outages jumped from 323,000 to a whopping 1.18 million.
But despite the huge increase in outages, BC Hydro said its crews are still able to restore power within about 24 hours for the vast majority of homes and businesses, thanks to year-round preparations and a team of in-house meteorologists tracking weather systems for adverse conditions.
Even so, the utility provider said it's important for people to have an emergency kit on hand. Aquino said a recent survey commissioned by BC Hydro found that nearly half of British Columbians aren't equipped for an emergency.
"It's difficult to predict how much damage a storm will cause or how long a power outage will last for, so that's why we always encourage customers to be prepared," he said.
BC Hydro recommends that people have a flashlight, extra batteries, a first aid kit and non-perishable food and water available.
Falling trees and branches are the primary cause for outages in B.C., which the utility provider said has more trees per kilometre of power line than anywhere else in North America. Trees and adverse weather account for nearly 60 per cent of all outages, BC Hydro said.
With files from CTV Vancouver's Breanna Karstens-Smith
