Curious spectators flocked to White Rock’s waterfront to see the debris that washed up on the beach in the aftermath of Thursday’s wind storm — including three boats and chunks of the city’s landmark pier. Oren Perry, 42, was caught on the far end of the pier in White Rock, B.C., after it collapsed in the early afternoon. BC Hydro said about 155,000 customers were still without power by midday Friday and some could be in the dark for days as crews work to repair outages on Vancouver Island, Metro Vancouver, the Sunshine Coast and Fraser Valley. The storm – with gusts of up to 100 km/h and described by BC Hydro as “one of the most severe storms BC Hydro has experienced in years” – has dealt the 100-year-old structure a vicious beating. The agency released a summary of the wind activity during the storm, saying gusts reached more than 100 km/h in Abbotsford, 111 km/h in Tofino, 89 km/h in Vancouver, and 128 km/h at Sandheads Lighthouse in the Fraser River.
Severe windstorms in Vancouver and Vancouver Island damage houses, damage roads, and destroy a 100 year old pier in White Rock, British Columbia. One person stranded on the pier is rescued by helicopter. Several highways were closed due to trees falling.