One dead, thousands without power as second major storm hits B.C.

ASM, Philippine Canadian Inquirer
November 09, 2026

Photo courtesy: Chek News

A second powerful storm has left one person dead and thousands without electricity across British Columbia. Strong winds and heavy rain also forced evacuations in parts of Vancouver Island.

The storm swept through the province over the weekend, bringing down trees, damaging power lines and disrupting communities already affected by an earlier weather system.

According to BC Hydro, the latest storm left approximately 135,000 customers without power at its peak early Sunday, November 8.

Meanwhile, authorities in the Village of Zeballos continued monitoring flooding and landslide risks as more storms approached the province.

Driver killed by fallen tree in Surrey

One person died after a large tree fell across Highway 10 in Surrey on Saturday evening, November 7.

According to the Surrey Police Service, officers responded to reports of fallen power lines and a tree blocking the highway shortly before 8 p.m.

Emergency crews found two vehicles trapped beneath the fallen tree between 182 Street and 184 Street.

One driver was pronounced dead at the scene despite emergency efforts. The driver of the second vehicle suffered minor injuries.

Surrey Fire Service, BC Emergency Health Services and BC Hydro crews responded to the incident.

Authorities closed the affected section of Highway 10 overnight while crews removed debris and addressed damaged power lines.

The highway later reopened with one lane of traffic in each direction.

Nearly 415,000 power outages reported since Friday

The weekend storms caused widespread electricity disruptions across British Columbia.

BC Hydro reported approximately 135,000 customers without power at 1 a.m. on Sunday. By 7 a.m., crews had reduced that number to about 63,000.

A later update reported by The Canadian Press placed the number of customers still without electricity at approximately 30,000 on Sunday afternoon.

Since the storms began on Friday, November 6, nearly 415,000 customer outages had been recorded across the province.

Surrey, Duncan, Port Hardy and Prince George were among the hardest-hit communities.

Strong winds brought down trees and branches, damaging electrical lines, poles and other equipment.

Meanwhile, areas east and north of Prince George faced particularly difficult restoration conditions because of widespread infrastructure damage.

BC Hydro deployed crews across affected communities to restore electricity and repair damaged equipment.

However, the utility warned that difficult terrain and extensive damage could delay restoration in some areas.

Zeballos residents face landslide risks

The Village of Zeballos, on northwest Vancouver Island, also faced serious weather-related disruptions.

Local authorities declared a state of emergency on Friday, November 6, following flooding and concerns about possible landslides.

The village initially issued evacuation orders for several properties near Maquinna Avenue and Pandora Crescent.

However, officials amended the orders on Sunday after receiving a geotechnical assessment of the affected area.

The changes allowed some residents to return home. Other properties remained under evacuation orders because of continuing safety concerns.

According to the Strathcona Regional District, the amended order covered 30 properties, including vacant and unaddressed lots.

Another 19 properties remained under evacuation alerts.

Officials continued monitoring the area as additional rain threatened to increase the risk of flooding and landslides.

Residents were advised to follow official evacuation notices and remain prepared for changing conditions.

More heavy rain and strong winds expected

Environment and Climate Change Canada has warned that another series of storms could affect British Columbia from Tuesday through Thursday, November 10 to 12.

The weather systems are expected to bring prolonged rainfall to Vancouver Island and the province’s north, central and south coasts.

Higher elevations and areas exposed to rising terrain could receive the heaviest rainfall.

Meanwhile, strong winds may cause further damage and electricity disruptions.

The weather agency also warned that heavy rainfall could lead to water pooling in poorly drained areas and increase localized flooding concerns.

The forecast follows several days of severe weather that have already saturated parts of the coast.

Authorities urge residents to prepare

BC Hydro advised residents to remain at least 10 metres away from fallen or damaged power lines.

The utility also recommended keeping emergency supplies ready and charging mobile devices ahead of the approaching storms.

Residents can check electricity restoration updates through the BC Hydro website.

Meanwhile, the Strathcona Regional District continues to publish evacuation notices and safety updates for affected properties in Zeballos.

Environment Canada is expected to issue additional weather warnings as the next storms approach and forecast conditions become clearer.