Power restored to hundreds of people north of Pemberton after landslides
Posted September 21, 2015 10:02 pm.
Last Updated September 21, 2015 10:45 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – There’s some positive news out of Sea-to-Sky country after weekend landslides.
Lights are back on for hundreds of people living north of Pemberton.
Ryan Wainright with the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District says crews worked quickly to try to get things back to normal.
“Power has been restored to those 200 residents who have been without power basically the better part of a day and a half; they also got all of their communications back on that side of the landslides which makes coordinating our efforts much easier. Power came back just before 5 o’ clock P.M. thanks to the work that BC Hydro has done.”
He also says the 90 people stranded in the back country are safe and accounted for.
A road remains closed which is a challenge for some folks.
“The regional district is working with the N’Quatqua First Nation to coordinate a needs assessment and will be orchestrating a re-supply of essential goods,” he says.
A local state of emergency remains in place and still dozens of people in the Birken area as well as Seton Portage and Shalath are forced out of their homes for another night.
With landslide insurance not available, he says the district will be working with the province to see if help is available to those with damaged homes.
“To the best of my knowledge landslide insurance isn’t a thing in Canada. It’s like flood insurance, it’s just not available to purchase. We’ll be working with the province and will be asking some questions around availability of disaster financial assistance to help these folks out but that is a conversation that may take a few days.”
