High winds have knocked out power to over 200,000 people in southern Ontario

key takeaways:

• High winds in the province’s southern region knocked out power to over 200,000 Ontarians, causing trees and power lines to fall.
• Dangling traffic lights, downed trees, and “flying debris” were also reported by Halton police across the region west of Toronto.

On Saturday, high winds knocked out power to over 200,000 Ontarians in the province’s southern region, causing trees and power lines to fall.

As of Saturday at 10 p.m., outages were affecting more than 200,000 customers, with those in the hardest-hit areas expected to be without power overnight.

In a tweet, Hydro One stated, “We expect customers in the hardest-hit areas of the south, central, and eastern Ontario to be without power overnight.” “As soon as it’s safe, more crews will arrive to assist.”

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Police in southern Ontario responds to reports of downed wires, trees, and flying debris.

Wind warnings have been given for almost the entire province’s southern region, with gusts of 90 to 120 kilometers per hour expected throughout the afternoon and evening.

Soon after 3 p.m., Toronto police tweeted that they were responding to “many reports” of wires and trees down across the city due to the wind.

The police department requests that people only call 911 if they have been injured.

On Saturday afternoon, police tweeted about hazards from fallen trees, traffic lights, and scaffolding from a construction site.

On Saturday, Matthew Pegg, the city’s fire chief and head of emergency management, tweeted a “heads up” to residents as well as safety tips.

“While moving around the [City of Toronto], please be aware of flying debris,” he wrote. “Stay at least the length of a school bus away if you come across downed lines.”

Several calls were received by Waterloo Regional Police reporting downed hydro wires, fallen trees, and debris blowing in the high winds.

The police department issued a tweet urging people to drive or walk cautiously.

Dangling traffic lights, downed trees, and “flying debris” were also reported by Halton police across the region west of Toronto.

In addition to the wind warnings for southern Ontario, Environment Canada has issued snowfall and winter storm warnings for the province’s northeastern region. Snowfall of up to 20 centimeters is expected in places like Timmins, Ont., and Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.

As a low-pressure system moved northeast across the Great Lakes, it was expected to bring a mix of freezing rain, ice pellets, and snow.

Source: CTV News

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