More than 300,000 Canadians experienced power outages across parts of Ontario on Sunday as a severe ice storm swept through the region over the weekend, according to electricity provider Hydro One.
Environment Canada issued winter storm warnings for freezing rain in Ottawa, as well as parts of Quebec and Ontario, warning that snowfall mixed with or transitioning to ice pellets could persist until Monday morning in some areas.
“Outages are largely being caused by tree limbs and branches weighed down by accumulating freezing rain,” Hydro One reported on its website, adding that central Ontario also faced the risk of flooding.
As of Sunday afternoon, more than 300,000 customers had been affected, with power restoration expected by April 1, according to Hydro One.
Utility provider Alectra reported approximately 35,000 customers without power, mainly in Barrie, a town north of Toronto. “Progress has been slow due to ice-covered lines, but all available resources have been deployed,” the company stated on Sunday.
The city of Orillia in Ontario declared a state of emergency as the prolonged freezing rain caused widespread outages, hazardous road conditions, downed trees and hydro lines, and damage to both public and private infrastructure.
“This is a very serious situation,” the city stated on its website, emphasizing the dangers posed by road closures, fallen trees, and downed power lines.
Residents across Ontario shared on social media that roads were blocked due to fallen trees, with many reporting the sound of trees crashing down since the storm began.
