Power restored to Kitamaat Village after more than three days without electricity

KITIMAT, B.C. – The electricity is back on for B.C.’s Haisla First Nation after heavy snowfall in Kitimat knocked out power for more than three days.

Power was restored in Kitamaat Village Sunday night, following the evacuation of about 700 people early Sunday morning.

BC Hydro crews struggled with trees that kept falling on hydro wires, as evacuated community members gathered at a recreation centre about 15 kilometres away in Kitimat.

Officials say they are still waiting on the status of a road that connects the village to Kitimat, which has been barely passable because of snow, downed hydro poles and trees.

The closure of the road meant a B.C. Ambulance Service helicopter had to be flown in from Terrace to respond to an emergency call from the village Saturday afternoon.

The massive blizzard dumped 168 centimetres of snow on the town between 4 p.m. Thursday and 4 a.m. Saturday, knocking out power to more than 5,000 residents — although most had their power restored within a few days.