Manitoba Hydro crews are still working to restore power for hundreds of customers in rural Manitoba after Wednesday’s punishing storm.
About 5,000 people are still without power. At the peak, about 48,000 customers in the province were without power, Manitoba Hydro says.
The power company is using their social media to let Manitobans know where hydro crews are working today. They report power was restored to over 40,000 customers Friday.
Some of the worst damage in rural Manitoba happened on the Long Plain First Nation near Portage la Prairie. At least 900 residents of Long Plain had to find somewhere to spend the night after a tornado tore through the community Wednesday.
Hydro says crews have repaired much of the damage in the area and full restoration of power is expected by the end of the day.
The storm caused extensive damage to trees and cottages in the Whiteshell Provincial Park, Falcon Lake, Brereton Lake and Star Lake. That’s made it difficult for Manitoba Hydro crews to complete their repairs, Hydro said in a tweet.
Extra crews were sent out Friday, Hydro said.
The storm also hit St. Andrews hard leaving parts of the airport there in ruins. The roof of an aircraft hangar collapsed from damage during the storm and an airplane sitting at the airport flipped over in the wind and was destroyed.
Hydro says most of the major repairs will be done, and full power restored, in St. Andrews and Selkirk by the end of the day.
