Multiple power outages in London after fierce thunderstorm tears through southern Ontario
Many people are still cleaning up debris while others remain without power in London, Ont. Sunday after a powerful severe thunderstorm rolled through southern Ontario Saturday.
According to London Hydro, 38 outages in the London area remain Sunday afternoon.
Affected areas include Huron Heights, Oakridge, Airport, Masonville, East London, North London, Highland, Lambeth, Carling, Woodfield, Old East Village, South London, Glen Cairn, Central London, Hamilton Road and Southcrest.
On Saturday, 32,000 customers lost power, while that number has now decreased to approximately 2,500. Old East Village is the site of the largest power outage, where more than 500 customers remain without power.
“Because of the intensity of the storm, there is a severe damage in some areas, which means cleaning up trees and downed lines in order to get the power back on,” said Nancy Hutton, a spokesperson with London Hydro.
Hutton added that the amount of damage and downed trees and power lines are compounding the restoration of power, so it’ll take longer to resolve the outages for the remaining 2,500 customers.
The City of London is working to clear streets of fallen trees in order to get hydro trucks in.
“London Hydro said that they're starting but there's not much of a chance we're gonna get hydro today. It means go borrow a generator from a friend and hope that we can save some of the food in the fridge,” said Princess Avenue resident Michael Jarvie.
London Ward 4 Coun. Jesse Helmer also tweeted Sunday morning, “Thank you to the crews working to restore power and to neighbours who are helping each other out.”
According to Environment Canada, more than 350,000 customers across the region lost power during Saturday’s storm, and many of those outages still remain into Sunday.
Meanwhile, Hydro One tweeted out Saturday night that they “anticipate it will take several days to restore power after today’s destructive storm.”
For east London resident Michael Lewis, a fallen tree crushed his fence. Like many Ontarians, his next steps are to reach out to his insurance company.
“When we do, we hope to get a claims assessor up to see where we stand. We are very hopeful of course this tree will be on city property and consequently be handled by the city,” he said.
How the storm impacted the rest of the province
While the peak wind gusts in London during Saturday’s storm are not currently known, Environment Canada provided information on the observed peak wind gusts in neighbouring cities.
- Kitchener-Waterloo Airport – 132 km/h
- Toronto Pearson International Airport – 120 km/h
- Ottawa International Airport – 120 km/h
- Guelph – 83 km/h
Across the region, the storm has claimed the lives of at least eight people.
One woman in Brampton was killed by a falling tree, another person was killed when a tree fell on their camping trailer at Pinehurst Lake Conservation Area, near Kitchener, and two more people died in Ottawa after being struck by falling trees.
Police confirmed Sunday that three more people died by fallen trees in Port Hope, North Kawartha Township and Ganaraska Forest.
An eighth person died in Quebec after their boat capsized in the Ottawa River.
— With files from CTV News London's Brent Lale and CTV News Toronto
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Pearson gold heist suspect arrested after flying into Toronto from India
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Millions of cyberattacks per hour as B.C. government investigates multiple breaches
Careful attention to government statements and legislation is required to get a handle on the level of risk British Columbians’ information is under, as investigators probe multiple breaches under a continued barrage of attacks.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Debate on abortion rights erupts on Parliament Hill, Poilievre vows he won't legislate
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
New 'Lord of the Rings' film coming in 2026
The Oscar-winning team behind the nearly US$6 billion blockbuster 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' trilogies is reuniting to produce two new films.